A Past Discovered
by SJuneau101
Summary: Hermione, a few years off the battlefield knee deep in research finds something strange calling upon her door one night. Little does she know that, that fateful night will change more than what she's bargained for. When they end up in the past, much further than anyone could have imagined, Hermione finds herself face to the face with the greatest minds of the Century. The Founders.
1. Chapter 1

A/N I don't own any of these characters, and I have taken some liberties and changed a few things from the original world as written by J.K Rowling.

The mane of brown hair, frizzier than ever after the shower she'd taken, hummed softly. Up and down, like gentle waves of silken, albeit bushy tresses. The pile of paperwork around her all had different titles and form numbers, each looking just as important as the next. Elvish Rights, Enslavement of Elves, Purchasing an Elf, Wandlore, Wizarding Rights to Wands, on and on things of different titles though the same nature. Though none of them were forms that the sleeping woman herself was filling out. No, each one of them were research for the young woman.

At a mere 20 years old, the young woman had done more, seen more, than many her age had. Though all knew, mostly, of the horrors that she had experienced. Indeed Rita had tried, and failed, to make a pretty buck off of those horrors. Through a series of intelligent moves, and quite a bit of research, that had been shut down in its prime. It helped that for the last, and final time, she used her unregistered animagus status against her.

None of that though had anything to do with why she was sleeping on a pile of paperwork surrounded by various books and legislation in a little flat in Horizont Ally. Since Ron had stormed out, almost a week ago presumably to stay with Harry and Ginny or a while, she had been falling asleep her desk more and more lately. With no one to bug her to go to bed, she often read over the different statutes, laws, and backgrounds until her eyes refused to open any longer.

 _Tap, tap, tap._

The sudden small knocking made her gasp awake. Brown eyes dark with sleep deprivation. Immediately her small hand grasped at the wand beside her. Immediately her wide eyes darted around the confines of the small living area. Seeing nothing but dark shadows on the pale blue walls, she sighed, chalking it up to having fallen asleep at her desk again. Putting down the quill she had all but crushed in her hand, ink stains making her click her tongue, the girl stood to shove off.

 _Tap, tap, tap._

"Oh, that one definitely happened." A few brief strides and the same ink stained hand yanked the door open. It was her wand hand, but with it grasped in her left, and the ability to perform an array of nonverbal spells, she didn't worry about pulling the door open at 3 in the morning. "What the?" There was no one there. Tricks? Honestly. "Honestly Ronald if you've had too much fire whiskey and you're thinking that I'll forgive you."

"Excuse me Miss but Abby is not being Mr. Weezy. Abby is being Abby." The small high pitched voice brought her attention down about three feet. The large, green eyes that stared up at her made an audible gasp leave the young woman.

"Dobby? But you," She swallowed hard, hand trembling as it rose to her lips. The scar on her arm burned bright, vividly, for a moment.

"No miss! Abby, but I is knowing Dobby or well." The little house elf pulled the pretty hat off her head. It had been cared for meticulously even if the knitting was quite off. She wore a neat little skirt, a deep red, and a matching ballerina top. The only thing that stood out, the mismatched pair of socks on her feet. One black, old faded, the other a hand knitted maroon. The little elf wrung the knitted cap in her knobbly, tiny hands. "I is Dobby's daughter Miss and you is being Miss Hermione Granger."

"Dobby's daughter?" Her voice echoed the pure awe and disbelief she felt at the statement. "I didn't know he had a daughter." The little elf looked proud, not only that she had found Hermione but that Hermione knew Dobby.

"Yes, Miss! Dobby and Abby's mother got together long ago. Abby's mother, Afink worked together at Hogwarts miss. It is not normal for house elves to fall in love. We is not often breeding you see. But Abby's mother, Afink she is always being captivated by Dobby and his freedom."

"I, oh, um won't you come in? It's cold out." Hermione wasn't sure what she needed to expect. Whether or not the small elf would throw herself in a fit of tears and torture as Dobby often had. Instead, her green eyes only watered slightly as she bowed, her long nose touching the floor for a moment as the two of them settled into Hermione's small parlor.

"Tea?" Hermione wasn't sure what to offer a house elf. Her interaction with them had been rather limited in the last.

"No thank you Miss. I is not needing anything at the moment." About that time Crookshanks had awoken, puttering about the parlor area eyeing the house elf for a long moment before giving Hermione a soft 'meow'. Almost as if to let her know that everything was alright.

"Not to be rude Abby," Hermione sat down on the small sofa, at the opposite end of the elf who held her tiny hands out toward the fire. Crookshanks had taken up his desired place in her lap. "Not that I mind in the least but, what is it that's brought you here?" For a long moment Abby didn't say anything, just looked at Hermione with her large green eyes, blinking. Though it seemed as if she were trying to figure out where to start.

"After the Battle with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Abby's thin chest rose as she sniffled. "Afink decided she would have freedom too just as Dobby had! Mistress McGonagall was good to us, Afink and Abby but when Abby came of age she decided nope! Abby is going to see the great people who Abby's father who spoke so highly of them all. I is thinking to myself, Abby, who would Abby to like work for! And I is coming to you Miss Granger."

"Me?" Hermione all but sputtered at Abby's sudden exclamation. "You, you want to be a slave t-t-to me?" What had Dobby told his child? Surely had had mentioned how she start S.P.E.W, how she felt that house elves shouldn't be paid. Hermione took another look at Abby, she was wearing clothes. The house elf wasn't a slave, she was free. Had she been born that way? With no 'true' master to keep her. Was Hogwarts her master?

"Not a slave no Miss. Abby is wanting paying of course. 1 Galleon a week and 3 vacation days a month. Abby is knowing though that if anyone is worthy of having an Elf it is Miss Granger." Abby's little chest was puffed out once more. "So, what do you say Miss? Can Abby come and work here with her?" Hermione softened at once. It warmed her heart to see that there was an elf out there, much like Dobby who was wanting to be paid. She hadn't expected much, but three vacation days a month was quite a bit as far as house elves went.

"Yes of course Abby!" Hermione felt real enthusiasm as she spoke. After all, she was dreadful with food charms still. "When can you start?"


	2. Chapter 2

The next three weeks flew by in a breeze. Hermione found herself able to come home every day at a reasonable time. She wasn't sure how but Abby always had a nice warm meal waiting. She never came home at the same time, 5, 6, sometimes and yet, Abby always knew. Stomping her feet, dusting the fresh snow off her coat, Hermione let the warm of the small flat envelope her with a sigh of relief. The smell of lamb stew filling the area.

"Abby, it smells delicious." Hermione called out. Though she said that almost every day. Seeing the elf's smiling face peek out of the kitchen at her greeting always made Hermione fill with warmth. Sometimes it even made the sting of Ron not calling a little better.

"Thank you Miss! Hurry, hurry, let's get you out of that coat and warmed up. Really Miss Abby is not sure why you walk to and from work in this kind of weather. You could apparate Miss." The motherly way Abby spoke, caring for her Mistress' health as she took Hermione's coat popping it on a hook. She hopped about the little house.

"I like the walking to work. Keeps me grounded in the fact that I'm Muggle born Abby." Hermione had given up trying to get Abby to call her anything but Mistress or Miss. Though she had squashed 'My Lady' and 'Madam' out of the little elf. Abby nodded setting her thin lips in a small smile.

"Yes. Many a great men and women were born to muggles like yourself. Go. Go." Abby all but pushed Hermione into the kitchen. "Abby has put a bowl of soup and some bread out for you. A nice jug of warm mead too. Unless Miss would prefer icy pumpkin juice. Go eat Miss." Even as she pushed Hermione into the kitchen the front doorbell rang. "You eat Miss. Abby will answer the door." Giving a little chuckle to herself, Hermione sat down at the freshly scrubbed table. Just as she had said there was a hearty bowl of soup and freshly baked bread.

"Hello Sir! What can Abby do for you at this time? Have you come to see my Mistress?" Hermione rolled her eyes trying the lamb soup as she listened to Abby speak to the caller.

"What the devil? Since when did the- Granger get a House Elf? Though she was all against that kind of stuff. Didn't want slaves in her presence." Hermione's brow furrowed as she listened to the man speaking to Abby. She didn't recognize his voice right away. Something to the sneer in it. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know who was at the door. Probably some Ministry Official who thought he was more important than he was.

Part of her had hoped that it would be Ron. Harry she had spoken to many times while at work. He hadn't mentioned Ron and Hermione hadn't asked. She simply figured that when Harry got tired of his whining, and she knew Ginny would get tired faster than Harry, that he would mention something about her forgiving him as he usually did.

"Abby is not a slave sir! Abby is getting paid to be here for Miss Hermione. Abby is, Abby is Miss Hermione's friend. Now. Who can I tell Miss Hermione has come calling at such a late hour?" Abby knew how to hold them off, that much was for sure. Wiping at her mouth, dabbing the smidge of soup she hadn't managed to lick up. Pulling off a hunk of bread she chewed before pulling herself up to go and see who was at the door.

"Friend." The man spat the word, fueling a fire in Hermione as she left the kitchen rounding into the parlor. She looked up shocked. "Tell her it's Lucius Malfoy."

"Leave! Leave now and I won't curse you." Hermione threatened her hand clasping at her wand. She'd pulled it out without thinking. Just the sight of him had brought up such mixed feelings of fright and anger. She had heard that he was being released from Azkaban after the Battle at Hogwarts. He hadn't paid his way out as far as Hermione knew. Not that Kingsley would accept that kind of thing. Not from him. His long hair had been cut short, almost to the scalp but she recognized the curl of disgust on his lips.

"Ms. Granger. I assure you. I am not here to make your life more difficult. On the contrary." The curl on his lip only grew though it was not because of Hermione. "I am here to ask you for a favor." Hermione felt the white hot rage that built up inside her close to exploding. "Help! You? A favor! Get. Out. Of. My. House." Hermione snarled sending a flash of red just beside Lucius. The man narrowed his eyes at Hermione.

"You stupid girl. You're not even going to hear me out?"

"Hear you out?! Hear you out? You, who." The fury built and Hermione raised her wand, ready to curse him off her doorstep. Just as she opened her mouth, the curse ready on her lips, a flash of bright light erupted between her and Mr. Malfoy. Abby, a vivid fury on her face, little hand held out.

"You is not to be speaking to my Mistress like that no sir! Abby is knowing who you is! You is Abby's father's old Master. Now you go. Go before Abby steps aside and lets her Mistress curse you like she said." Hermione felt touched looking down at the little elf. Though the site of an angry Mr. Malfoy sprawled out in the fresh snow did help mollify her a little.

"Go Mr. Malfoy. Do not come back here. I don't know how you found out where I live but thank you. Now I know that I do need to have a Fidelius Charm put on it. I've wondered, ever since they let you out of. You just confirmed my worries is all." Hermione steeled herself, hand on her door as she watched him collect himself.

"Do you really think I am here to harm you? I haven't even got a wand. Not yet. I'm here because I need your help. My son needs your help."

"That's not my problem Mr. Malfoy."

"He'll die Hermione!" Her hand paused in the midst of shutting her door. She didn't know if it was the terror in his voice, or the fact that he had called her anything other than an insult. "Please. If I thought that going to anyone other than you or the boy wonder himself would help I would. Believe me." Mouth in a line so thin McGonagall would be proud, Hermione opened her door, stepping aside.

"Well then, you had better come in and tell me what the fuss is all about. One wrong move though and I'll have Abby throw you out faster than you can say Devil's Snare." Hermione threatened leading him into her little flat. "I was just eating. You are welcome to some if you're hungry. It's delicious. Abby is quite the cook." Hermione settled back into her seat, Abby beside her on a bar stool that she'd conjured. The little elf had her arms crossed over her thin chest, glaring at the blond man who had insulted her Mistress.

"Right, well then either tell me what the devil you meant by 'He'll Die' or get out. I'm sure that you didn't come all this way, make all this fuss, just to watch me eat." Hermione muttered darkly, watching him while she rose a spoonful of soup to her mouth. She ate it quietly, dipping a bit of bread in the tasty broth. Mr. Malfoy had refused any food not to Hermione's surprise.

"Even now, there is no pretending that you are easily one of the brightest minds of a century. If anyone could save him." Lucius closed his eyes for a moment. One leather covered hand closing into a tight fist for a moment. His grey eyes, usually so cold, looked open, distraught. "Draco has been dabbling with a different kind of magic. Something strange. Time." The spoon in Hermione's hand clattered to the bottom of her bowl.

"Time?! Draco has been messing with time but why? Doesn't he know? Doesn't he realize?"

"Yes, yes he knows! Does he realize, the problem is Miss Granger that I don't think he cares. My son is well he's got this idea in his head that if he can harness the power of time, almost like a time turner he can change things. He can change." Lucius pressed his lips together. "He thinks he can change me."

"There aren't any time turners left though. They were all destroyed how does he think he can, what would he even change." Hermione shook her head. None of this was making any sense. "Even if I could stop him. What makes you think that he would listen to me?" Hermione asked all the different things that he was saying, none of them were making since. Time Turners were very, very difficult magic to harness. Not many knew how the Ministry had gotten their hands on so many to behind with.

"Mr. Malfoy," Hermione sighed a little. ", Time-related magic is unstable, and serious breaches in the laws of time result in catastrophic events. Possible scenarios include a wizard or witch killing their past or future selves by mistake, or altering one's life path in such a drastic fashion that it can result in temporal anomalies such as un-births. Is he willing to possibly cease to exist in order to keep you from Azkaban again?"

"I think so." Was his solemn reply.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione listened with careful patience as Lucius described the various, highly illegal activities of his old pal Nott. It took every ounce of her self control not to disapparate off, get Harry and have him help her drag the scum off to Azkaban. Hermione knew that she couldn't, not yet, not if she wanted to help. Every fiber in her knew, Draco Malfoy didn't deserve her help. Not after all he had done to her, to Harry! Though the more his father talked the more Hermione knew that Draco needed help and the more complicated the situation got the more it seemed as it no one else would be able to help.

"Alright. Putting aside the fact that your old pal is trying to harness the power of time to create more time turners to keep Voldemort from falling to Harry." Lucius had flinched at the sound of his old master's name on her lips. "You're telling me that Draco, somehow found out about all of this and wants to harness that same power in order to go back in time before you even met Tom Riddle, as he was then, and convincing you to . . .not?" Hermione was trying to collect her thoughts.

"Miss Granger. You should not be doing this. This man." Abby's eyes were like steel as her large tennis ball like eyes gazed upon the broken man. "He is a bad man. He cannot be trusted Miss. You is, you is could be heading into danger."

"Elf. You do not speak for your master. She is a witch. Free to do and think as she wants." The old venom that Hermione knew from the man was back. The instant that Abby had spoken up Hermione had seen it in his eyes.

"You will not speak to her like that! She only has my best interest at heart and she's right. You're a foul evil loathsome little cockroach just like your son was. You tortured me. Well. Bellatrix did. You aren't to be trusted. I'm of half a mind to haul you, your son, and Theo Nott in." Lucius opened his mouth, flabbergasted that Hermione has burst into such a haughty speech. "I also believe that some people can be saved. Maybe you can't be but, maybe, just maybe, Draco can be." Lucius' face seemed to melt into gratitude almost immediately.

"So, you'll help him? You will make him see the error in his ways? You know more about the consequences of this kind of magic, more so than anyone else. Your parents." Lucius swallowed at the furious look on Hermione's face. He had touched a sore spot, stepped in it rather and backtracked immediately. "I only meant, there is only one better for the job than you and unfortunately I feel as if he'd have worse luck than you."

"You could be wrong about that. In fact, I imagine that Harry would have wonderful luck with convincing Draco. After all, Harry is the one who lived through everything more so than I. Harry is the one who had a piece." Hermione stopped speaking. Even after everything, the three of them hadn't spoken about the Horcruxes to anyone and she highly doubted that Voldemort had divulged to any of his followers that he had been splitting his soul into pieces. She also knew that Voldemort hadn't intended to turn Harry into a Horcrux, as such he surely hadn't know himself.

"I will help your son. I should warn you though I will be sending Harry off to pick up Nott and I will be letting him know that it is from a confidential tip. Also, I can only help Draco if he wants to be helped. In our sixth year Snape tried to help him countlessly. He didn't accept help then either and it tore him apart."

"I remember." Lucius commented quietly. It had been a troubling time for them all. He rarely received letters from his son and the letters from his wife had mentioned the infrequency of Draco's letters to her as well. Draco had been the real reason he'd escaped with the rest of Voldemort's followers. His son needed him, and didn't need him locked up in some prison withering away feeling sorry for himself.

"What is it that you expect me to do?" Hermione finally asked, her voice quiet. The sheer desperation that exuded from Lucius was unsettling to her. Hermione didn't know Draco. At the most she could only throw rational logic at him. Even then, that was a long shot.

"Something! Anything. Stop him physically if you have to but please. I fear if he starts down this path it might consume him. Not to mention if something goes wrong with the magic." He'd stood, beginning to pace in her tiny kitchen. A pale hand running across his cropped hair. He had a half crazed look in his eye, though not the same kind of craze she had seen before in the presence of others.

"Miss. Abby is thinking you should be reporting this Miss. He is meddling in things that ought not be meddled in. He is doing dangerous dark magic. You is not wanting to get into trouble." Abby spoke up for the first time in a little while, her eyes looking troubled as she gazed between Lucius and Hermione.

"Abby." Hermione didn't want to be stern with the elf. Her affection was quite touching. She changed her tone almost immediately realizing that she'd taken on a harsher tone than she had wanted. "Abby, can you pop over to Harry's house and deliver this to him please?" She had conjured a piece of parchment and scribbled a few lines quickly.

"What's that?" Lucius asked looking alarmed as she began to write quickly.

"Harry needs to get a few Aurors together and apprehend Mr. Nott right away before you have a chance to warn him. You might not approve of what he's doing." Mentally Hermione couldn't help but add a few choice insults in her mind. The dark look that she threw him over the parchment was enough to convey those thoughts, turning back to Abby. "You'll find him in Godric's Hollow. Please wait there until he writes a response and return to me." Abby nodded sagely, taking the parchment and disapparating with a crack. Harry wouldn't appreciate having an elf calling him this late at night, but time was of the essence.

"Now, tell me where I can find your son and I'll do my best to talk some sense into him or." Hermione sighed. ", or stop him for his own good.' Lucius nodded weakly.

"He isn't at the Manor." Dark flashes of memories she didn't want to think of hit Hermione at the mention of the Manor. "I think his is in our country Estate in Bulgaria. You'll need this." He handed her a piece of parchment with an address written on it. "You'll also need this." He pressed a heavy, glittering, gold skeleton key to her hand. "Thank you Miss. . .Hermione." To her surprise he gave her a slight bow, turned and left her flat.

"Bulgaria? Oh dear. Looks like I won't make it into the office tomorrow." She muttered looking at the heavy key. Turning it over in her small hands, her grown eyes raked over the heavy metal. It was intricately etched with ancient symbols and runes. Only a few of which she could decipher off hand. She'd have to consult one of her books for the others.

Waiting on abby to return Harry's response Hermione began to pack quickly putting books, a small pouch of money, clothes, even a few potions away in her little beaded bag. She hadn't touched it since moving into her flat when she'd pulled her books out. The loud crack of Abby's return didn't surprise Hermione. Hearing Harry's voice in her bedroom though, did.

"Harry!" Hermione almost dropped the vial bottle of Dittany. "I didn't mean for you to come all this way." Hermione had a feeling from the furious look on Harry's face, that Abby had told Harry more than Hermione's note had.

"Abby is sorry Miss. Abby is only worried for Miss Hermione." The elf bowed in her apology though showed no sign of trying to punish herself. Something Hermione had thankfully never had Abby try to do.

"It's fine Abby. Please, go clean up the kitchen package up some food for me trip." She didn't often give her direct orders but Hermione could feel the vein in her head beginning to throb.

"Hermione!" Harry nearly exploded unable to contain himself any longer. "Lucius Malfoy! Here! And you didn't call anyone? You let yourself be alone with him. Where the hell is your head? He could have attacked you."

"Please Harry." Hermione scoffed stuffing a few empty vials into the bag. She had organized it deliberately so things wouldn't rattled around any longer. "The man doesn't even have a wand. I think I can handle one wandless Wizard don't you?"

"Hermione, that's not the point. Why would you let him in are you." Harry stopped looking at what she was doing for the first time. "Hermione are you packing?'

"Yes, Harry. I'm going on a sabbatical. I imagine that I'll be back to work on Monday." Hermione had stopped, looking at a delicate watch on her wrist. The clock on it wouldn't have made sense to a muggle but Harry knew it was more than just telling time. It kept track of her geological point, the day, the month, the year, all of it. "Don't worry, I'll be taking Abby with me. I'll be in touch I promise."

"Hermione!" Harry sounded appalled at her, sputtering trying to find his words to stop her. "You aren't really going to go and help Malfoy? Are you mad?" He paced around Hermione's room, his face dark.

"Yes, Harry I am. Look." Hermione stopped, her tone short as she snapped her bag shut. "I chose this path, to help others. Not just catch bad guys. So, yes, I am going to go and try to help Draco. Now let me go and go get Nott like I asked you to Harry." Hermione pushed past her best friend into her parlor, gathering her coat, wrapping a faded scarlet scar around her face and neck. She'd caught a glimpse of the snow falling when Lucius had left.

"Hermione, come on! Be reasonable. Is this about Ron? I'll tell him to come apologize." Harry knew that had been the wrong thing to say as Hermione slammed her front door. He heard the crack of her disapparating before he could wretch open the door. He heard the pop of Abby leaving from the kitchen at the same time. Groaning, Harry left Hermione's flat, heading to the Ministry. He needed to wake up a few others before they could go apprehend Nott.


	4. Chapter 4

Ginny was awake, her long hair down, sitting in the kitchen when Harry returned home. The slight smile that she had on her lips told Harry that she knew everything. It frustrated him and made him want to smile at the same time.

"So, how did it go?" Ginny asked bringing the cup of tea in her hands up to her mouth. "Did Hermione listen to reason? Decide that it's not a good idea to help Lucius Malfoy. Went back to bed like a good girl?'

"I don't even know why she left in such a hurry like that! All I did was ask if she was doing this just to get under Ron's skin." Harry burst out. Controlling his temper still wasn't his strongest suit. With Ginny he rarely got mad. Working with some of the morons at the Ministry, he often came home to vent to her, when she wasn't off training with the other Harpies.

"Oh dear, you didn't? Honestly Harry. I love you but sometimes your rather thick." Ginny shook her head, standing up, putting her hands on his shoulders. "That comment is probably what sent her out the door." Letting her fingers run over the back of his neck, Ginny sighed, grinning at him. "So, Ron's already sent word he and dean will meet you over at the Ministry. Together the three of you can go and get Nott."

"Yeah, yeah alright. I just I don't understand those two. Nor how Ron can continuously make an ass of himself." Harry grumbled pulling on the navy Auror robes. Mentally he reminded himself to make Ron go apologize to Hermione. While Ron wasn't staying with Harry and Ginny, instead he'd chosen to stay with Fred, it didn't make matters any easier on Harry. Sometimes he wished the two of them would just remain friends. Then sometimes he saw them happy together and wanted nothing more than their relationship to blossom.

"Well, you know Ron. He can be a bit of a prat." Ginny grinned at Harry, kissing him on his forehead. She'd only been back for a week and Harry was sorely tempted to not leave her. They had such precious little time together.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Harry grumbled, kissing Ginny quickly before disapparating for the Ministry. The look in her eyes had told him to hurry back. Just another reason that made him frustrated with the whole situation.

Though Hermione had never seen the Malfoy's 'summer' home in Bulgaria, because Lucius had given her the address she'd been able to apparate to the gate. Looking up at the house, smaller than the Manor they normally kept but still impressive, Hermione pursed her lips. Bulgaria was two hours ahead of London time, everything was dark, save for a few lights around the house. As far as she could tell, none of the lights inside her on.

 **"Miss, Abby is thinking this is a bad time. Maybe we should be coming back in the morning." Hermione hadn't even heard Abby pop in with her. Though it didn't surprise Hermione in the least that the elf had been able to follow her with such ease.**

"We've got to Abby. If we don't do it now there is a chance that Malfoy might hurt someone, or himself, before the morning comes. Time magic is highly unstable, unpredictable. He is a fool to be messing with it." Hermione grumbled pushing open the gate, the fresh snow giving little resistance. The air was cold, the smallest of winds blowing at her back covering her footsteps as she made them striding down the path toward the heavy front door.

"If you say so Miss." Abby wasn't going to fight Hermione any more. She had made up her mind and it wasn't Abby's place to argue with her master, even if she was technically a free elf. As they came upon the front door, Hermione flicked her wand at it, not even bothering to mutter the spell, she didn't need to. The door rattled, not budging.

"Oh, I see." Upon closer inspection Hermione noted that the lock of the door matched the key that Lucius had given her. It was probably one of only two or three and, even as Hermione put the key in the lock, she understood. The key would be the only thing that would open the door. The Malfoy's, Hermione guessed, couldn't even apparate inside the house from the outside.

Opening the door, Hermione's skin crawled. The house was cold, almost as cold as the wind biting at her cheeks. The air had a stale, almost acrid smell to it as if no one had been living in the house. Not even the lingering scent of a fire hit Hermione. She could feel the magic in the air though, alive, buzzing with electricity. Immediately her wand was out, the house felt abandoned, but the crackle of magic made Hermione know, Malfoy was there.

"Abby. Keep close, but out of sight." Hermione instructed the elf moving into the house. Hermione wasn't sure where she needed to go, closing her eyes taking a deep breath she held her palm out. "Point me." She whispered watching as her wand automatically swirled, moving to the right. She could follow nothing but the growing feel of magic.

Following her wand, Hermione moved through the house silently. A few cobwebs lingered here and there, a sign that not even elves had been in the house recently. The floor made no noise as she walked, moving from the living room through a long hallway. One side covered in windows, the other in paintings. At the end of the hallway Hermione could see a door. Beneath it, bright flashes of pale green light seemed to hum every few seconds or so. Hermione would have been worried, thinking it the killing curse, but the light wasn't as harsh, and was happening so rapidly.

"Miss." Abby tugged at Hermione's coat, her large eyes looking at her in terror. "Please, let us go." Her last attempt in vain to get her Mistress to see reason.

"Stay back Abby. I don't want you to get hurt if this goes bad." Hermione whispered, though the words were an order. "Do not interfere unless absolutely necessary." She added after a moment of thought. Hand on the knob, Hermione turned it slowly. It wasn't locked, though she wasn't surprised to find it unlocked. She doubted very much that Draco expected anyone save for members of his family to find their way inside the house, not to mention to where he was.

Hermione wasn't sure what she would find opening the door, but the scene before her hadn't been one of them. The dark room was filled with a huge cauldron, Malfoy's back to her. He was added a few ingredients, the low fire beneath it a frightening blue. The thing that worried her the most though, the pulsing orb above the cauldron. It almost didn't look like a real thing, it looked like a ball of pure magic. Rings of runes floating within it, every now and then it pulsated the same pale green light she had seen beneath the door. The orb itself took up most of the room, suspended in air above the cauldron Hermione could see flashes in it.

Taking a small step closer, she inspected the images. People's faces, Lucius, Draco, Narcissa, Dumbledore's, even her's and Harry's. For a moment she wondered if they were Draco's memories. Then, to her surprise, she saw things like dragons, chimera's, Godric Gryffindor. Brown eyes widened in horror. They couldn't possibly be Draco's memories, not with things like that in the orb.

"It's time." Hermione whispered to herself, though Malfoy didn't hear it over the hum of the cauldron and the soft incantations he was chanting. "Malfoy, what have you done?" Hermione asked louder this time. Arm's full of ingredients, a wild look on his face, Malfoy spun at the sound of her voice.

"Granger? What the hell are you doing in here?" The humming began to get louder, frantically his grey eyes shot toward the orb. His usually combed blond hair in disarray. "Get out of here!" He yelled turning back to the cauldron, beginning to mumble his incantations again as he added ingredient's to the cauldron. The orb grew larger as he did, making Hermione take a step back.

"Malfoy, whatever this is. It's got to stop. You can't mess with time! It's unstable unpredictable. You haven't done anything illegal yet. Just stop this." Hermione ordered in what she hoped to be her strongest voice. "You can't change the past!" Hermione added when it seemed as if Malfoy had no intention of listening to her. "If you do, you might make it so that you don't exist!" She had to yell over the humming, the humming which she realized was not coming from the cauldron but from the orb.

"Stop this!" Hermione burst out, grabbing a hold of Draco's arm as he went to throw another ingredient into the cauldron. He looked at her thin, in the glowing green light she could see the lines on his face, the dark circles under his eyes. He looked like a ghost, the shell of the man he was.

"You don't understand!" He yelled savagely pulling his arm away from her and throwing the ingredient into the cauldron. Hermione could see it now, bubbling with thick lavender potion. He reached in filling two vials quickly with it. They glowed bright and florescent as he did and Hermione grabbed him again, this time pointing her wand at him.

"Malfoy you might do more than just damage your own time. You could kill innocent people. I can't let you do that. You've got to stop this." She demanded ready to duel. Though he only looked more distraught, not bothering to bring out his own wand.

"You don't understand Granger! That's what I'm trying to do. The orb, I can't stop it and I don't know what it's going to do. I've been trying to create a potion to destroy it. It's powerful, I've contained it for now but it sucks you in and throws you out. You can't control it! Now let me go!" He partically screamed. Hermione looked at the orb in terror, it had grown in size again the the light being thrown off of it in waves. Hermione felt it hit her. It wasn't just light, but pure magic. It made her skin tickle and hair stand up.

"We have to stop this." Hermione yelled looking at the orb in fright. She had stopped his incantations and the orb was doubling in size exponentially. "Malfoy what do we do?" She asked frightened for the first time since she'd entered the room. Draco watched it grow in size, the ingredients falling from his arms.

"Run it's going to explode." Malfoy yelled turning and grabbing Hermione's arm to pull her from the room. A blast of magic hit them before they even got to the door knocking both of them to the floor. The humming of the orb was growing louder, filling up Hermione's head, it was all she could hear for a moment as the orb enveloped the room. Then she heard voices, small snippets or people talking, her eyes grew wide as the orb began to pull her and Draco in. She turned, clawing at the floor but even as she moved away, Hermione realized the orb wasn't pulling her. It was growing around her around them.

"Malfoy!" Hermione looked at him, seeing that the orb had almost swallowed him completely. She called his name in terror letting out a small scream as the magic sucked both of them in completely.


	5. Chapter 5

All of Hermione hurt, she felt drained magically. As if she had performed magic years beyond her abilities. Which would be something, Hermione didn't like to boast but her ability to comprehend and perform magic was great. For a moment she couldn't recall where she was or what had happened. It was only when Malfoy groaned her name out in pain beside her that Hermione did remember. Brown eyes snapped open and she sat up much faster than needed. The spinning in her head filled her with waves of nausea.

"Malfoy, what in Morgana's saggy tit have you done?" She asked pressing both hands to her head. Not feeling her wand Hermione looked down in a panic. The site of spongy, green moss didn't help her fright in the least.

"Granger." Malfoy tried once again to get her attention. The sound of his voice placated her seething for a moment. It sounded weak, incredibly weak. Rescuing her wand from a pile of leaves, Hermione finally turned to look at Malfoy, all her rage draining from her face.

"Malfoy, oh god. Why didn't you say something sooner." Hermione asked falling beside him. They had been tossed beneath a tree and Malfoy had landed on a sharp protruding foot. About six inches long, two inches wide, it wasn't very thick but went straight through his thigh quickly staining the grass with blood.

"I was trying to wake you for a few minutes.' Hermione believed him at the sheer amount of blood, and how pale he looked in the sunlight. He had been bleeding for a few minutes before she woke up. In the sunlight she could see just how bad he looked. Not just from blood loss, but the work he had been doing. He face a little gaunt, hair looked unwashed, as did his robes.

"Well, hold on." Hermione worked quickly pulling the beaded bag off her to get the bottle of Dittany. "I can heal you some. I need to get the root out and you'll need a blood replenishing potion." Hermione pointed her wand at the root, thinking _Diffindo_ so it would separate from the tree. "It's going to be painful." She added grimacing sympathetically. Malfoy looked at her, grey eyes dark and more than tired.

"Just do it quickly Granger." Malfoy gathered up the bottom of his shirt, stuffing it in his mouth, before modding at her. Even the cloth in his mouth didn't muffle his screams as Hermione ripped the root from his leg, applying drops of Dittany generously before conjuring some bandages.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm done." Hermione apologized frantically. Malfoy's face had turned a threatening shade of green for a moment. Pulling a slab of Honeydukes Chocolate as well as a canteen out of the bag, Hermione thrust it at Malfoy, breaking off a piece of chocolate for him. "Get a drink eat this. We can't move you far yet. I don't think the root nicked an artery but I don't want to take that chance."

"Thanks Granger." He took a long drink watching Hermione carefully. She had stood up promptly and begun to mumble spells, moving around them. "What are you doing?"

"We have no idea where or when we are. You're hurt and the last thing we need is to have muggles stumble upon us. I'm putting a few incantations up to prevent that. They've worked in the past." She had muttered the last half darkly. The irony of the eerily similar situation to three year prior was not lost on her.

"Well." Malfoy coughed, swallowed the bit of chocolate. His voice sounded stronger already. "That's partially true. I do know where we are, if that helps."

"How do you know where we are?" Hermioe asked hands on her hips.

"I saw as we were thrown. We're at Hogwarts. At least, we are outside where Hogsmeade will be in the future." Hermione looked at Malfoy the horror on her face.

"What do you mean? Hogsmeade has been attached to Hogwarts for centuries. Only a few years after Hogwarts came to be. We can't, we can't be." Hermione sat down turning pale as Malfoy. "The founders, oh dear, oh dear. Hogwarts A, History hasn't even been written yet." Hermione's mouth felt drier than a desert.

"Don't pass out on me at the chance to meet the greats Granger. I broke my wand when we fell." Oh the irony kept pilling on. Hermione glared at him.

"That's not the problem at all you idiot. The problem is Time Turners haven't even been created yet! They won't be created for a thousand years Malfoy! How do we even have a chance of getting home without one." Hermione had the urge to slap him all over again. "This is all your fault."

"I told you to leave Granger." Draco's voice icy. "I told you to leave me alone. I had it under control until you got there. I had been shrinking it for two hours."

"Oh don't you dare blame me for this Malfoy." Hermione stood in a huff, pacing slightly. "You are the one who had been foolish enough to mess with time magic in the first place. The only reason I even came is because your father all but begged me to stop you!"

"MyFather sent you to stop me?" Draco's brow knitted as he watched her pacing. "But why? Didn't he know? Surely he has to understand I only wanted to. . ." Draco trailed off looking away from Hermione.

"Look." Hermione didn't feel obliged to comfort Malfoy but found the words anyway. "I might not agree with your Father on anything else but he understood. He understood that you can't change the past. Just us being this far back might change things so far beyond correcting. One thing is sure. The greatest minds of this era are in that castle and if we have any chance of getting home we are going to need to be in that Castle too."

"Alright, how exactly do you suggest we do that? We can't be students, we're of age." The grin that spread on Hermione's face didn't put Malfoy at east.

"You're right. We can't be students, we can however be teachers."

"Granger, what in the hell are you talking about?" She had sat down, opening the little beaded bag pulling out a hefty book that he recognized as Hogwarts A, History. She had begun flipping through the pages rapidly, speaking to herself. "Granger." Malfoy coughed calling her name louder.

"Oh for goodness sake Malfoy will you just give me a moment. I might be onto something." Grey eyes glared at the brunette as she stopped, reading over a list of the original employee's at Hogwarts apart from the founders. "Yes!" She shrieked slapping the book. "There!" She pushed it at Malfoy looking more excited than he would have expected from her reading a few pages in a book.

"Granger, this just tells us what the founding Father's taught. Though it only says what three of them taught. It doesn't mention what Helga Hufflepuff. It also says that Salazar taught Wandlore?" Draco looked up at Hermione confused. "Wandlore was taught at Hogwarts?"

"Oh goodness. Does no one actually read this book?" Hermione asked snatching it from him. "Yes, Wandlore was taught at Hogwarts for a great many of years because Slytherin left. Granted not many people took the subject because they didn't have the innate talent to create wands. It's not something just anyone can do. Now, shut up and listen to my plan." Draco glared at her, though did as she asked and listened while she explained what she had in mind.


	6. Chapter 6

"Wait, wait." The two of them sat in the tent talking for quite awhile. Rather, Malfoy listened as Hermione explained her plan. Draco needed a few days to rest before they attempted to become members of the Hogwarts faculty. "You think this is going to work based on the fact that teachers aren't mentioned for the subjects Ancient Runes and Potions?" Malfoy still wasn't convinced with her plan. "What about changing things. I think teaching at Hogwarts would change quite a few History books Granger."

"Unfortunately we haven't got much of a choice.' Hermione informed him as she transfigured her spare clothes. Walking around in modern day slacks and a blouse wouldn't exactly let them remain anonymous. "We are going to have to purchase more clothes. We already stand out by the different spells we know. Diagon Ally hasn't even been built yet. Damn."

"We could always get muggle garments and transfigure them. I mean what do they wear now? Cloaks, dresses, and robes I'm assuming."

"According to the portraits yes things of that nature. I doubt I'll be able to wear anything but dresses." Hermione sighed look at the dress before her. It was lovely, a deep yellow with purple on it. They needed to gain the Founder's' trust and looking radically different wouldn't help.

"Alright. You stay here. I'll go and fetch us some more clothes." Hermione paused for a moment pulling the dress on in the room attached to the tent. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Malfoy eyed her generously as she stepped out of the attached room, his eyes trailing from the hem of the dress all the way to the modest neckline. She looked the part. Hermione didn't notice that he had eyeballed her, instead she'd carefully been placing the beaded bag, now a necklace enchanted to look like a ruby, around her neck. "I actually feel like sleep might do me some good." From the looks of him, Hermione didn't doubt it. He looked as if he needed a week of sleep. He probably hadn't been getting much, or any depending, from the work he'd been doing with the orb.

"Right well. I'll be back as soon as I can. Meanwhile you try and think of the name you are going to go by and your back story." Gathering up the skirt of her dress Hermione placed a small spell on the tent. One to let her find it again when she came back. Imagining herself outside modern London she apparated apprehensively with a crack. To her surprise she landed in the middle of a barn, giving a pair of horses quite a start.

"What the devil is going on!" The sound of footsteps made Hermione turn, wide eyed. "Blood hell." The man who yelled skidded to a stop at the site of Hermione. He wore a plain white tunic, brown britches held up by suspenders and a head full of flaming hair, all set off with a distinctive nose. "Pardon me miss, but what are you doing in my barn?" He asked after a moment of staring at her dress. Hermione wondered if she had made it too fancy.

"Oh, My deepest apologies. You see I am just utterly lost. I was looking for a shop and must have," Hermione saw that his hand had clasped around something tightly behind his back. Something she could only assume was a wand. ", well I missed my stop." She told him carefully hoping she was right about him. He seemed to understand and softened, hand falling away from his back, sliding a wand quickly into his pocket.

"You are mighty close Miss. There is a town about 2 trots south of here. You can go see Madam Yvonne Yaxley about robes." He winked at her. "I've got a fireplace if you'd like." He added.

"A fireplace? You have Floo Powder?' Hermione asked deeply confused. Everything that she had read insisted that Floo Powder had been invented in the 13th century.

"Floo Powder?" He looked confused. "No, no. I've got a fireplace, with a portrait hanging above it?" Hermione understood then, her mind flashing back to the portrait they had taken into the Room of Requirement years prior. "Come on, we'll get you on your way Miss?" He looked at her expectantly opening leading her toward his small home.

"Hermione, Hermione. . .Selwyn." Hermione could have kicked herself. She didn't know how prominent the Selwyn family was, what if he had heard of them before?

"Selwyn you say?" Hermione's heart hammered as he opening the door to his drawing room. "You must be one of Alfred's eight girls. I see it now. That hair. Looks just like Ariella." He tapped on the portrait of a large apple tree twice with a fat, crude wand. "I bet you get that all the time though don't you? You just tell Yvonne that Corvac Weasley sent you. She'll take care of you. She's sweet on me." Corvac winked at Hermione reminding her painfully of Ron. "Be safe, and remember first left, then your third, and straight on to the end."

"I will, thank you so much Corvac. I won't forget your hospitality." Hermione promised slipping into the vast tunnel. It was lit with torches, already Hermione could see it was long with many turns and twists. It seemed to Hermione that the tunnel was frequently used. Her theory only confirmed when a small bustling wizard zipped mast her turning down a dark path, presumably to a different painting. Coming to the end, with a matching portrait Hermione opening it slowly.

"Come in, come in!" A pretty soprano voice called almost immediately. "Hurry dear before one of the muggles see you." She added moving to help Hermione out of the tunnel. The plump, sweet face woman smiled up at her barely 5' tall. She looked surprisingly kind with her chubby face, light hair, and big, blue eyes. "What can I do for you love?"

"Corvac sent me." The woman's eyes sparkled at the mention of his name and her cheeks flared pink. "I need a few gowns, robes, britches, men's robes, tunics, and cloaks. My friend and I, we lost all our luggage travelling." Hermione explained though the woman was already beginning to move her into the front of the little shop. Hermione could see a few others around, people walking here and there.

"Oh dear, oh dear, that's horrible. Of course. You come with me and I can rustle you up more than a few things. Might take me a few hours to get them all together. It'll cost you five galleons for all of it, is that a problem?" She stopped, holding a large mass of white cloth, her eyes worried.

"No, no that won't be a problem at all. I'm in no hurry either, please take your time." Yvonne smiled, nodding and Hermione and zipping off to grab more cloth and a variety of colors, some looking dangerously like satin. Hermione settled herself on a plump chair, watching as Madam Yaxley set to work. A part of Hermione couldn't help but marvel at the whole situation, at the ancestors she was getting to meet. Madam Yaxley seemed perfectly polite, how her descendants had fallen so far, Hermione didn't know.

"Have you heard about the school that's been opened?" She asked Hermione, her wand flicking as a needle began to sew the snow colored cloak quick as lightning. A fur collar adding itself to it only made Hermione appreciate her skill more.

"I have indeed, it's where my friend and I are travelling to. He got hurt unfortunately and is resting now." Hermione explained.

"The poor dear. Lost your luggage and he got hurt. I hope it wasn't the chimera they say is wandering about nasty stuff." Hermione's face took a severe turn at the mention of a chimera, though Yvonne missed it. "What business do you have up at the school?" She asked curiously moving her wand so that a deep emerald cloak trimmed in black fur sewed itself.

"We actually wish to be teachers there." Hermione grinned as a glass of wine appeared on the table beside her. Scooping it up she drank from it, surprised at how sweet it was.

"Teachers!" Yvonne's big blue eyes widened, she smiled brightly at Hermione. "That's wonderful. We need more young people like you taking charge. A teacher. If I knew anything more than making clothes I'd go teach myself." Hermione couldn't help but catch the way she all but put herself down.

"I couldn't make clothes if I tried." Hermione told her quietly, not watching as Yvonne stopped moving. She didn't want a fellow witch feeling inferior. "That kind of magic has always eluded me. You are better than you think." She assured Yvonne making the woman flush muttering her gratitude.

Two hours later, Hermione left her shop with more outfits than she had counted and Yvonne demanding that she come back soon so they could have dinner together, and she could show Hermione a few simply spells.

Returning to the tent, Hermione wasn't surprised to find Malfoy asleep. He had eaten the rest of his chocolate and no longer looked as if he were wasting away. Night had begun to fall and a chill settled in the tent. Hermione started a fire in the cooking pit quietly, not wanting to wake up. The smell of the leftover lamb stew she had packed though roused Draco, who stiffy got to his feet moving into the little kitchen with Hermione.

"Were you able to get some clothes?" He asked sitting down. He sounded a little strained as if the walking had been more painful than he had assumed it'd be.

"Yes, I actually found a witch's shop and got more than a few sets of clothes for us." Hermione told him proudly. " Have you given any thought to your new identity?" She asked pushing bread, soup, and Abby's elf made wine toward him before settling down herself.

"I already know who I'll be. What about you? Have you given any thought to who you are now?" He asked with a smirk before eating a giant spoonful of the soup.

"Hermione Selwyn, one of Alfred Selwyn's eight daughters. And you? Who are you Malfoy?" She asked trying not to let him get under her skin. His growing smirk only provoked her though.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, Miss Selwyn." He answered her simply drinking his wine.

"Oh, ha, ha very funny. I need you to take this seriously Malfoy. Don't you want to go back to our time?"

"I am taking this seriously Granger. The Malfoy name is older than you think. Armand Malfoy came to Britain from France in 1012. He had one younger brother, Draco." His smirk reappeared as Hermione fumed. "Draco died in 1011 before Armand came to Britain. Knowing one's family history is useful. So again, I am Draco Malfoy."

"Well, that's just lovely for you." Hermione had no other retory and they finished their meal in silence, though his smug expression spoke volumes.

"You know, we are going to need to discuss what we are to each others. The Founders will make their assumptions of course." Malfoy couldn't help but press Hermione's buttons, the magic around her all but crackled. "We could tell them. . ."

"We are old friends turned traveling companions, that's what we'll tell them and that's all." Hermione interrupted washing her bowl hastily. "Good night." She marched into the adjoining room, wishing sourly she had been able to slam a door in his face.


	7. Chapter 7

Oh this was bad, this was very bad. Abby couldn't help but wring her little skirt as she looked at the empty room her Mistress had been in with the Malfoy boy.

"Oh Abby! Why is you letting your Mistress do this?" Abby asked herself woeful outloud. Abby had done just as Hermione had told her to. She'd hung back, making sure to stay out of the way. Abby had heard her Mistress and the Malfoy boy arguing she had seen the flashing light growing steadily. Abby had her orders though. Big fat tears welled down her face as she looked around the room. The cauldron had blasted into pieces and the entire room looked charred.

"Abby cannot even feel her mistress!" Part of elf magic, when they become tethered to someone, or a family, they are able to feel them, their presence. Part of the reason they are able to apparate to their side at all times if need be. Abby could no longer feel the strings that tethered her, to her Mistress. She feared that meant the worst. "Oh my Mistress. What am I going to do," Abby looked around the room in despair. "Oh, Miss Hermione." Abby didn't see that she had any other choice and left the Malfoy summer home.

Knocking on the door politely to the Potter home, Abby knew she didn't have much other choice. Her Mistress was in trouble. Abby still felt the binds that signified her 'enslavement' so to speak, so she knew Hermione was not dead. A worried Abby stared of up Miss Hermione's friend Ginny. Ginny who looked equally surprised to see Abby.

"Abby, what are you doing here? Has Hermione sent you again?" Ginny asked, gesturing for the little elf to come in. Abby did so in a rush, speaking hurriedly.

"No, Miss Abby's Mistress has not sent her again. Oh, Miss, oh miss. I feel as if Abby has made a terrible mistake. You see Miss my Mistress went to go see that nasty Malfoy boy." Abby quickly launched into the story, recounting everything for Ginny, at least everything that she knew. Ears running down her little face, Abby threw herself down onto Ginny's rug bawling loudly, so loudly it made Ginny wince.

"Oh dear," Ginny's brown eyes were very concerned. Abby didn't see as she flicked her wand up, a gallant silver horse appearing on the rug. Abby stopped crying as the twinkling light surrounding the horse hit her and she stared up at it in awe as Ginny whispered to the horse before it dashed off, dissolving as it did. "Come on Abby. Let's get you a little bit of butterbeer, calm your nerves. I've sent word to Harry. When he returns we can figure out what to do."

Abby hiccuped, wiping her eyes as she followed Ginny into the kitchen where the two of them shared a glass of butterbeer.

"Thank you Miss. You were quite right this has calmed Abby's nerves quite a bit." The elf agreed after two sips of butterbeer. It had warmed her considerably but Abby knew the dangers of butterbeer. She didn't want to drink too much she had to be alert when they came up with a plan on how to save her Mistress. Abby was not going to sit idly by this time.

"This is just like Hermione." Ginny said softly, her fingers moving gently on the cup of butterbeer. She hadn't drank much of it, "Hermione likes to think that Harry is the one who likes to save people." A gentle smile spread on Ginny's face. Abby stared at her in awe for a moment. "Hermione always likes to save people though. She saved Harry more times than he'd like to count. Ron too. That girl is the only reason they've lived this long. If not for her Harry would have drank poison and Ron would have been strangled by Devil's Snare nine years ago." Ginny snorted though there was a tear in her eye.

"Miss." Abby wasn't sure how to comfort the woman. She could feel the emotional distress that Ginny was attempting to hide. "Don't you be worrying Miss. We are going to get Miss Hermione back. You wait and see. Abby is sure of it." Ginny laughed nodding, wiping away a tear.

"You're right. We don't need to worry about Hermione. She can take care of herself. She's the most clever witch I know. She'll be able to handle whatever if thrown at her until we can find a way to bring her back." Abby nodded a new determination in her eyes as she agreed with Ginny.

"All I'm saying Ron is that it wouldn't kill you to apologize to her. Hermione is a woman. You know they aren't always going to apologize first. Actually." Harry stopped as he, Ron, and Dean stopped outside the Nott Manor. They had to approach with caution, they didn't want to tip Theo off that they were coming. "Most of the time they aren't going to apologize first. They aren't the ones who've done anything wrong." Harry added.

"At least in their minds." Dean added, all three of the men laughing silently. "I swear I can do my damnedest and Lilah will still find something to complain about." He shook his head. Lilah had been a fifth year Ravenclaw during the battle of Hogwarts, one of the few who had snuck back in and helped fight. It was then that Dean had met and fallen for the younger woman.

"Yeah but the difference here is I haven't done anything wrong!" Ron exclaimed, quickly quietening himself. "It's not like I said or did anything that should have set her off. All I did was suggest that after we get married she stop being an Auror and move on to a less in the direct line of fire work. Think about it, what if she were pregnant and a stunning spell got her." Harry laughed, clapping Ron on the back.

"There was your first mistake mate." Dean told him, slowly working on a spell to take down the security measures that Nott had placed around it. The whole place had become a barrier, though there had been no Fidelius charm placed on it. An amaetur move in Harry's opinion.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked looking disgruntled, his own wand sending a steady flow of blue energy at the gate which the three of them would enter through, so they'd know the moment that the protective charms were down.

"Well you see mate, suggesting to a girl like Hermione," Harry was placing shield charms on all three of them, on various articles of clothing they wore. ", they she slow down, so something safe. Which in a way is suggesting that she isn't able to take care of herself, just makes her feel as if you think she can't take care of herself. Know what I mean?" Harry asked. Ron didn't get a chance to answer as Dean had finally lowered Nott's protective charms, all three men steadying themselves moving quickly into the Estate.

"Right, I'll go first. Ron you follow me, Dean you bring up the rear. Keep your wands ready. This guy is unstable and playing with magic that's unpredictable. Be careful. We don't want any blood on our hands here. Our goal is to disarm, capture, and return. No deaths today." Harry made almost the same speech each time the three of them had to go and apprehend someone. He believed, like Ron and Dean did too, he had seen enough death for one lifetime.

"Confringo." The door to the Nott Estate blasted to pieces at Harry's curse and the three of them moved in quickly in formation. The house eerily quiet, it only worried Harry that they weren't finding anything.

"Harry, do you see anything?" Ron finally asked after scouting out a few rooms. The three of them had met back up in the front parlor. "You Dean?"

"No, nothing." Both Harry and Dean said simultaneously.

"Let's move upstairs. There aren't even any counter jinxes and spells down here. We must have missed something." Harry lead them upstairs checking the rooms carefully. Finding no sign of Nott, Harry swore. Had they been lead on a goose chase?

"Harry!" The urgency in Dean's voice made Harry snap to him. "I've found him. At least." Dean kicked open the door, a disgruntled look on his face. "I think I've found him." Moving to the room Dean stood before Harry was surprised to see a greying man sitting in a squashy armchair. His face lined deeply, his dark eyes still alive with recognition.

"So, you've made it here at last." The old man laughed, the cackling sound weak vibrating through his thin chest. "Took you long enough, I got old waiting for you." His evil giggle only made the hair on the back of Harry's neck stand up.

"Where's Theodore Nott old man? Tell us and maybe you won't see the inside of Azkaban for the rest of your short life." Harry demanded, all three of them pointing their wands at him. The threat only seemed to make the man laugh more though, sending him into a coughing fit. Harry wasn't positive but he could have swore that he looked older now than when they had first walked into the room.

"Don't you get it Potter?" The man asked after finishing his coughing fit. His voice sounding weaker than before. "I am Theodore Nott." The surprise of that statement made Harry's grip on his wand lessen for a moment. "You see gentlemen. This is what happens when you play with time." He held up an old, liver spotted hand as if seeing it for the first time. "You do one thing wrong, one uncalculated thing and time, it plays with you. I've been aging rapidly for the last day. I imagine that I don't have much longer to live so take me away to Azkaban, I daresay I won't have to endure it long."

Even though it seemed impossible, Harry found that he believed the young, well used to be young, man. He did appear to be aging slightly right before their eyes. Harry shook his head in disgust. Time truly was one of those things that people weren't supposed to tinker with.

"Theodore Nott, you are hereby under arrest for the unauthorized manipulation of time and its fragments. You are to be taken into custody and if you shall live long enough, you will be held before the Wizengamot Council where they will decide your punishment. Do you understand?" Harry asked Nott while Dean placed the magical bindings on him that stopped all magical flow.

Over Nott's answer the brilliant flash of silver spread through the room and Ginny's patronus trotted up to Harry, lighting up his green eyes in worry.

"Harry, I need you to come home immediately. There has been a problem." Ginny's voice called out, a slight waver of worry before the Patronus disappeared.

"Harry, what's she on about?" Ron asked immediately recognizing his sister's voice.

"I don't know." Harry lied not looking at Ron. "You two take care of him, I'll send word out to some of the others, they'll meet you at the Ministry. I've got to get home. I'll let you know as soon as I know anything." Harry added, another lie, but he couldn't have Ron going off half cocked right now. Nott still might be dangerous and Dean couldn't take him in alone. "Come by the house when you're finished and we'll talk." He added thinking about it before disapparating. _What have you gotten yourself into Hermione?_


	8. Chapter 8

Hermione hadn't known what to expect. Mostly she had been expecting Draco to mope around whining about how injured he was and telling Hermione that it was all her fault, he was in pain because of her. Similar to how he had acted when Buckbeak had slashed him. To Hermione's surprise though, none of that happened. He had mostly been quiet, sitting in the little living area, writing down notes every now and then in a small black journal. Hermione had tried to press him, get him to tell her how he had gotten to the point of a giant orb of time.

Malfoy had, of course, been less than forthcoming. He hadn't told her much, in fact he seemed to clamp down harder than ever. All she had been able to get from him was that he had used the very sand threads of time from multiple time turners. Hermione assumed he had attempted to create a giant time turner of sorts, it had of course backfired greatly.

That tidbit of information had sent Hermione off on an entirely different set of research. She had brought quite a few books with her, as was customary, though only had two that referenced or spoke of Time Turner. She sat pouring over one of them, Draco watched her carefully shaking his head.

"Granger, you aren't going to find the answer to what happened in that book." He didn't need to tell her that though, he was positive of it, she had been reading from the same two books for the last two days.

"You've really got to stop calling me that. The Founders will notice you know." Hermione said doing her best not to let him see that he'd got to her. She hated that he was right. The little information in the books weren't much help.

"Oh Miss Selwyn," The grating sweetness of his voice did nothing to help Hermione's nerves. ", you aren't going to find the answer to any of your questions in that book." Draco added the sweetness dropping from his voice. Hermione slammed the book she was reading, glaring at him from where she sat at the little table.

"Alright, _Mister Malfoy,_ pray tell why do you think I won't learn anything from this book? Is it because you know **Ministry Controlled Magic and their Origins** by heart?" Hermione asked unable to keep the prissiness out of her voice. He made her bristle so entirely.

"No, that's not it at all." Draco sighed looking up at the top of the tent. "You won't find the information you're looking for because it's in a little book called ' **Peruvian Magic** ' there are only three copies in our time, more than half of them were destroyed for the secrets they contained. Two of the copies are in the possession of my family, the third-."

"Nott." It didn't take a genius to figure out how both of them had gotten to the same information. Draco smiled at her wryly, though it was more of a smirk coming from him.

"Nott." Draco agreed. "He would actually be the reason that I knew to look in that book to begin with." He stood up, Hermione's brown eyes followed him, watching as he hand a hand through his blonde hair. They had done the best though could as far as washing up went, the plan to head out and meet the Founder's was for later that afternoon.

"I don't suppose that you would feel so inclined as to tell me what the book said would you?' Hermione asked eyeing him wearily. He only responded with a curt shake of his head. "I didn't think so." Rubbing her brow Hermione could feel herself growing more frustrated by the second. "How am I supposed to get us home if you won't tell me what you know?"

"Listen, I know that it's probably real frustrating for you, knowing that you can't save the day and all that but believe me when I say, knowing what was in that book will only give you more questions." Draco's face was dark as he spoke, Hermione had the feeling that he was speaking personally.

"Well that's just grand! Is your plan to never find a way home then?" Hermione looked absolutely peeved, pushing away from the table she talked into the attached room. It took ages for her to get dressed and they had a small walk ahead of them.

"Would it be so bad not to live in a time where people know how bad you are?" Draco muttered watching Hermione stalk away. Throwing himself back on the little sofa he was sitting on, running both of his hands over his face and up into his hair. When Hermione emerged from her room an hour later, Draco didn't even look up. She fluttered about the tent gathering things, placing them in her bag.

"You need to get dressed." Draco rolled his eyes. God could she nag him like his mother sometimes. "I want to leave soon. It's going to be cold by the time nightfall hits and we can't apparate onto Hogwarts grounds, we've got to walk there."

"Yes, Mother, of course. Right away." Draco stood up, looking at her thin, taken aback by her appearance. "Good God Granger you are a woman!" He exclaimed, Hermione clicked her tongue in anger, shooting a glare at him.

"Good on you for noticing. Of course I'm a girl you prat, now get dressed." Hermione snapped flaring to life. She had twisted her thick curls up into an elegant knot. Her beaded bag around her neck looking like a thick ruby locket. The dress she wore was thick, beautiful satin of a deep burgundy. The trimmings around the sleeves, hem, and design under her bust a brilliant white. Hermione would have worried about it getting soiled, had Yvonne not put a few magical implements in the dress. It would repel mud, water, and blood among other things. It accentuated her moderate bust, showing off the curve of her thin waist as the slight flare of her hips. Draco couldn't help but stare in awe.

"I'll just, I'll just go change." He muttered blinking, his grey confused looking as he headed toward the room he'd been calling his own. Hermione had laid out a dark grey tunic style shirt and black britches, he had only a few traveling cloaks made for him. A black one and a green one. Dressing quickly Draco grabbed the black cloak, throwing it around his shoulders.

"Are you ready Draco?" Hermione called to him slipping on the pair of satin slippers that Yvonne had made specifically for this outfit. They were deep burgundy as well. "I'd like to pack the tent up as well." Hermione added button the white traveling cloak around her throat. The weather wasn't quite bad yet, though the wind still bit at their skin with icy promises of snow soon.

"I'm ready geeze Granger, don't get your knickers in a twist." He muttered coming out of his room. Hermione eyed him for a moment before giving a little snort. He looked the part at least. "Don't stare Granger, I don't want you getting any ideas. We aren't buddies and just because I might look like the sexiest devil in this age doesn't mean you have a chance."

"Oh dear, oh no. Whatever will I do. I haven't got a chance with the slimeball that's done nothing but attempt to make my life miserable well shoot." Hermione stamped her foot. "There goes my Saturday plans."

"Sorry to have to ruin what would have been the best day of your life. Keep on dreaming. Rather. Don't dream of me. Wouldn't want to get soiled by that." His face pulled into a disgusted look as if he had just imagined her having a dream about him.

"Oh don't worry Malfoy I'm sure that if I dream about you, it'll only be of you and a dragon together not me and you." Hermione quipped feeling clever. "You should also work on calling me by my name. I doubt they'll believe we are any sort of friends if all you do is scowl and call me dirty names." She added pointedly as he was indeed scowling.

"Ah, but I thought the dirty names was the best part of our fun together?" He asked his tone light though the guarded look on his face suggested he felt otherwise.

"Oh goody. Malfoy is up to full par." Hermione muttered to herself glaring at his blonde head as he all but swaggered out of the tent. Her grumbles didn't stop even after she'd departed it. Her muttering only grew quieter as she concentrated on collapsing and folding up the tent.

"Now, do me a favor when we get to the castle alright Hermione?" She flinched as he used her name. It sounded so foreign, forced, Merlin's beard why had she asked him to begin calling her by her name?

"What can I possibly do for you Draco?" She couldn't help but get a little pleasure as he flinched as well. "I'm not going to talk you up and make you look better. If that's what you want forget it." She added rudely.

"I think I can manage getting the job all on my own." He glared at her coldly. His pale face slightly pink from the wind, he had a small amount of stubble growing in darkly, to Hermione's surprise given the color of his face, and the overall look was a bit menacing. Not that Hermione would ever tell him that, she wasn't afraid of him, but he didn't look like the snot nosed brat she'd gone to school with anymore.

"I just wanted to remind you not to be an insufferable know it all. Knowing more things than the Founders won't gain you brownie points."He stepped up to her, looking down his nose at her. He had a good six inches on her. "I for one am eager to see you fail without your books to help you." His words stung a bit but this was Malfoy. She knew to take his words with a grain of salt.

"Just as long as you aren't a slimy git. Oh well." She turned heading toward the castle, the tent stowed away in her bad. "Somethings are inevitable I suppose ferret face."That one got him, Hermione knew because he snagged her arm, turning her to face him a savage look on his face.

"Watch is Granger. Your friends aren't here to protect you. We might be working together, or whatever the hell you call this I'm not above hexing you, you little bitch." Almost immediately he regretted those words. They didn't infuriate her like he had hoped, instead she began laughing.

"Oh, yes, terrifying threat Malfoy. Remind me to be scare. When you get a wand!" He didn't like her laughing in his face. She didn't notice that his grip had tightened on her arm instead she pulled free, laughing for a good ten minutes as they walked. Slowly her laughter died down and the walk turned into silence, it wasn't uncomfortable, not for Hermione, Draco on the other hand was fuming beside her.

As they grew closer to the castle, Hermione began to feel the nerves in her stomach grow. A multitude of worries flashing through her mind. What if the information in the book was wrong? What if they already had teachers for all the subjects they intended on teaching? What if they didn't want to teach those subjects? What if they didn't want their help?

"What if they don't want our help?" Her words echoed her thoughts. "What if we get there and they turn us away?" She chewed her bottom lip, turning it a bright needed words of assurance. They were essentially going in for a test. A test she hadn't been properly prepared for. She needed kind words to tell her she was being silly, everything would be alright. Instead she got Malfoy. Who shrugged his shoulders not looking at her as they climbed the hill toward the Castle doors.

"They won't turn me away. I'm charming. Can't say I could do much if they didn't want a bitchy little mudblood to be a teacher. You aren't exactly teaching material. Probably give too much homework or scare the kids off with that wild thing you call hair."

"Oh and you're such a prize? Didn't you almost fail sixth year? Why was that?" Hermione was letting her anger get the better of her, he had gone too far though. She would be an excellent teacher! "Oh! Wait! You tried to murder the Headmaster!" Drace bared his teeth at her in a snarl, hand raised. Hermione had no doubt he would have cursed her then, if he had, had a wand.

"You're going to pay for that one. You wait." He threatened as they came upon the heavy doors. The two of them stood in silence for a moment .

"Should we knock maybe?" Hermione was chewing her lip again. She had never been a 'guest' at Hogwarts. She had always been a student, aside from the time that they had snuck in in order to host a battle. That was different though, different times different circumstances.

"I don't give a fuck what you do. This is your plan. You figure it out." Draco bit out coldly his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at her.

"Well then." Feeling miffed Hermione took one of the heavy knockers and letting it fall on the door twice. The booming of it resounding through the stone. Half expecting a caretaker, like Filch, to answer she was surprised to see a House Elf open the door.

"Yes sir, how can I help you sir?" The elf asked. Draco smirked as the Elf spoke to him first. Even in the wizarding world, in this era, many creatures still thought women inferior to men. Hermione bridled with rage. She would have thought, surely, that they would have seen different with two women being the Founders of the castle.

"Yes, we are here to request an audience with the Masters of this castle." His voice had turned velvety smooth causing Hermione to stare at him incredulously. Surely the Elf wasn't going to fall for that smarmy act? To her amazement the elf bowed.

"Of course sir, right away sir. May I ask sir, what shall I tell my Master's this audience is about sir?" The elf looked from Draco to Hermione, surveying this almost cautiously.

"Please," Hermione finally found her voice. ", please inform your masters that we are here to request teaching positions." The elf blinked, looking at her slowly.

"Teaching positions Miss" Hermione nodded. "I shall inform them. Thank you. Please, come in and wait." The little elf bustled them inside and toward a little office. Slightly smaller than the Gryffindor common room, it had a small fireplace and multiple sofas, chairs, and end tables. Hermione didn't recognize it. Draco knew at it was though, with less flutter, surely, but it was the future caretakers office.

"Well! Little Delia has just informed me that the two of you would like to be teachers." The feminine voice made both of them turn. Before them stood a slightly plump woman in her early thirties. Her light brown hair was pulled back elegantly almost like a crown on either side of her head, her green eyes rich and kind. "That's wonderful! We don't have many students so far but, that doesn't mean they aren't willing to learn. So, sit, sit and tell me what is it that you would like to teach?" The two of them stared at her in awe for a moment, she laughed kindly taking their silence for confusion and not sheer shock.

"My apologies, I am Helga, Helga Hufflepuff. Why don't you tell me about yourselves? Or would you rather wait until the others have a arrived? I daresay it should be shortly." And she was right. In strode a serene looking witch with long dark hair and almost sharp features that Hermione knew could only be Rowena Ravenclaw. Behind her a tall, thin, man . His dark hair in a ponytail though his hairline receding. He had a curved goatee. Hermione couldn't help but feel her heart pounding, she knew who was next.

"Helga! Surely you're not trying to scare them away already are you?" The deep voice sounded jovial as the red-haired man came through the door. Though most pictures depicted him with an impressive beard and long hair, that was when he was older. Godric's beard now was still short, tamed, as was his hair. His green eyes sparkled with mischief and he strode forward shaking both of their hands. Hermione was in awe. She hadn't expected them all to be so young! "Godric Gryffindor, nice to meet you. So, tell me, how did you come to here about our little castle?" He asked hands on his hips. He was easily 6'6" and quite impressive to look at. Hermione felt as if she might faint.


	9. Chapter 9

"Good to meet you, I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. It's an honor to meet you all." Unlike Hermione Draco was not frozen in his spot. Instead he had taken it in stride, grasping Godric's hand and shaking it firmly. "This is my traveling companion, Hermione Selwyn. As I'm sure the elf informed you, we've come to see if perhaps there is a place for us here."

"It is an honor and a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Selwyn." Godric took Hermione's hand, kissing it gently. The twinkle in his eye almost dangerous. Hermione's mouth felt dry, though she found herself smiling a little breathless. The flush on her cheeks made her look starstruck. Draco scowled at her for a moment, shaking his head not caring that the others caught it.

"Oh, no, please. The pleasure is all mine. I mean, you," Hermione finally tore her eyes away from Godric, looking at all the others finally getting her hand back. ", all of you. Who hasn't heard of the wonderful things you've been doing here? The place has only been up what?" Draco put his head down. Oh, Hermione could be clever when she wanted to. A very good way to find out exactly what year they were in.

"Two years. Though I wasn't aware that we had become so prolific yet." It was Salazar who spoke up now, moving out of the shadows. His dark eyes looking at her calculatory. "Selwyn you said, that would make you a Pureblood wouldn't it?" Salazar turned to look at Draco. "Though I don't recognize the name Malfoy. Are you." He bristled. "Are you a muggleborn?" Oh Hermione had the feeling he wanted to use a different word.

"No." Draco's voice cold, hard, had one hand clenched behind his back as he tried to control his anger. "My family comes from France. My older brother Armand still lives there with our mother Delphi. Perhaps you've heard of her? Delphi Calchas. Decendant of Calchas himself."

"Interestig. I wasn't aware that Delphi had married. Or had children for that matter." Rowena was the one who spoke up this time. "I had the pleasure of meeting Delphi once." She nodded at Draco. "I see the resemblance. You've got her hair and her eyes." Those words didn't seem to placate Salazar though, at least not immediately.

"Come now 'Zar! You know that that's not important." Godric called out looking at him over his shoulder. Though there was a slightly hard edge to his voice.

"Yes, indeed come on 'Zar." Rowena spoke up almost mocking Godric's voice. "I believe the magic that we have done here, in the architecture alone, would make us quite prolific. After all, have you ever come across a place such as this?" Rowena asked looking at him boredly, though when her gaze turned to Hermione and Draco there was a glint of interest in her eyes. It didn't surprise Hermione that Rowena mentioned the architecture, from everything that she had read, she had been the major designer.

"You say that you've come here to teach." Helga had all but cleared her throat trying to get back on their original subject. "Tell me, what is it that you think you would teach?" This question seemed to interest them all, Hermione swallowed four pairs of eyes turning to look at her.

"Ancient Runes." Hermione's voice was a bit higher than she had expected. Clearing her throat she tried again. "Ah, Ancient Runes is one of my specialties. I've got quite a mind for translating and I think I will adequately be able to teach others the same talent. My friend," God the word almost made bile rise up in her throat. ", well when we learned that you didn't have a Potions Master well he's the right man for the job."

"What makes you think we don't have a Potions Master?" Hermione stumbled on her words a little. "I am the school's residential Potions Master. Though I'm sure there is something else you can do hmm?" Helga addressed Draco directly this time, a look of intrigue on her face. Hermione was stunned in everything she had read, nothing mentioned Helga being the schools Potions Master, or that she even had a grasp on Potions though that didn't surprise her entirely.

"Oh yes, of course, he is quite talented. I'm sure he'd make a great erm." Hermione was at a loss for words. She didn't need to come up with an answer though because Draco interrupted her.

"Care of Magical Creatures." Hermione almost gaped openly at Draco, though she caught herself.

"Oh wonderful! We've got a Forest full of Magical Creatures. It really would be something for people to learn about them." "Yes, maybe they wouldn't die each time they foolishly went to tackle something that is beyond their ability?" Rowena suggested a little crudely. It made Hermione flinch.

"Have students died because of creatures in the Forest?" She asked carefully looking at each of the Founders.

"No, no, of course not. We don't allow students to go into the Forest. That doesn't mean that an ignorance of creatures hasn't been the death of many uneducated witches and wizards alike." Helga explained politely. "Take the Chimaera that's been sighted lately for instance. I highly doubt that many people know how to kill a Chimaera."

"There is no record of a Chimaera being killed. Though not many people can read ancient Greek to tell you for sure if they had records. Whether or not those are reliable well." Rowena's thin lips pressed into a line, showing just how much she trusted the rustic translations of other civilizations.

"We really should do something about that Chimaera though before it kills anymore people." Godric added, his full lips turning into a frown beneath his beard.

"Chimaera's do have a weakness though I doubt you're going to like it." Hermione was surprised when Draco was the one who spoke up. "Fiendfyre, which isn't exactly something that we can control. There is one other option the Blood of the Three. Under a full moon you mix together Dragon's blood, Unicorn blood, and Threstal blood. The blood of the strong, the pure, and the dead. You dip a silver dagger, sword, your choice, in it and you chop off it's head." All five of them stared at Draco incredulously for a long silent moment.

"Wonderful! You're both hired. I look forward to seeing what you can teach the young minds we've got here!" Helga all but clapped smiling beautifully at them both. Though Hermione was still having trouble wrapping her head around what Draco had said. How he knew how to kill a Chimaera. As far as she knew only one made had ever done it before, way after the Founder's time. He'd fallen from his winged horse to his death before telling anyone how he'd done it.

"T-thank you. We are very excited with the opportunity to work with all of you." Hermione said a little in shock still of Draco's answer. Oh boy would she have a question for him in the morning.

"Now, come, Hermione was it? I shall show you to your quarters. Godric, if you could escort Mr. Malfoy to his I would greatly be in your debt." Helga with with a nod toward the taller than.

"Of course Helga! Anything for you dear." He told her with a saucy wink before reaching out, wrapping one arm around Draco's uncomfortable shoulders. Hermione couldn't help but grin a little at the strained smile he'd put on his face. Draco, apparently, didn't like being touched. She didn't get long to soak and revel in the image of his distraught because Helga was already leading her away.

"Your classroom is up in the south tower. Your quarters are close though a little lower down. You'll have your own lavatory of course. I do hope that it will be up to your standards. If there is anything that you need, please feel free to ask. We do have some students who have been here more than a year. Though none of them of course will have taken Ancient Runes Study. We have students of varying ages between eleven and thirty. Though once we gain more headway the starting age will be eleven." Helga explained things as they walked. Hermione couldn't help but look at the lack of all the paintings. Paintings that hadn't been painted yet though she knew almost exactly where they would be at on the walls.

"I'm sure that it will be more than up to standard. Compared to how we had to stay travelling on the road," Hermione laughed a little. ", I'm sure that it'll be like a glorious inn." Hermione had to be careful of the words that she chose. She couldn't exactly say it'd be like a five star hotel. Helga stood before the painting of a large tree. Hermione recognized it at once as the 'Tree of Life'. The leaves weren't all green, some were orange, red, and yellow. Standing before it she could see some leaves falling off. Hermione didn't recognize the tree, though she hadn't been among the teachers quarters on this part of the castle before. Briefly she wandered if the tree would lose all of its leave and bloom in the spring.

"Kneazle." Helga proclaimed to the portrait. It hadn't asked for a password, though Hermione wasn't surprised that it required one. "That is your current password. You may change it if you so desire." Helga lead her into the quarters, immediately Hermione saw a small, neat living room office combined. A sofa, two armchairs, bookcases filled with books and scrolls alike, an impressive desk with a beautiful ornate high backed purple chair behind it. The overall themes of the room were dark, cherry wood, silver and purple.

"Oh, it's absolutely beautiful." Helga smiled at her. The look in Hermione's eye showed the sheer truth of her words. "I don't even need to see the bathroom or the bedroom to know that I love it." Hermione added eyes glittering. "Can I see my classroom?" She asked turning to look at Helga feeling the excitement bubbly in her chest. Her classroom! Oh Merlin's beard did she like that!

"Of course dear of course." Helga laughed goodnaturedly at Hermione. "I daresay you'll need to know where it is. Your first lesson won't start tomorrow, probably next week. That will give you time to plan your first lessens. We don't have a plethora of students, as I said but we do have an adequate amount. A little under seventy at my last count. Most of them are younger, older witches and wizards don't exactly like admitting that they don't have a complete grasp of magic."

"With only that amount of students, I imagine that all classes are mandatory?" Hermione asked her hands behind her back as they walked toward what would be her classroom. She didn't expect anything overly fancy, but she would have her own office. Oh, Hermione felt giddy. Almost giddy enough to forget the reason why she was having to teach in the first place.

"All subjects are mandatory save for one. Wandlore." hermione nodded sagely as Helga said it. She should have known. Wandlore was something not everyone could learn or master. "So far, there are only four students who are studying Wandlore with Salazar. They leave from time to time, often for a few weeks. Picking out trees for wands is not an easy feat." Helga explained, Hermione couldn't help but agree.

"I wonder where Salazar learned Wandlore." Hermione mostly was speaking to herself as they entered the empty classroom. It looked much like any of them did, though this one didn't have desks the way McGonagall's had, instead they were sections almost like bleachers of desks all combined. Two large glass stained windows let a plethora of color into the room. One of them depicting a large raven the other a rock surrounded by moss and the sea. "How does he go about picking out students who have the ability to create wands?"

"I suppose that is something that you'll have to ask him yourself. I could tell you of course but, learning from the source is always better." Helga grinned watching Hermione like an amused mother watching her child discover her hands and feet. Hermione looked at Helga for a moment. She got a strong sense that Helga was the leader of the Founders for some reason, the more she spoke to her the more respect Hermione found for her.

"You're right." Hermione agreed with a grin. "Everything looks perfect." Helga gave a graceful inclination of her head in thanks.

"We did take a great while to have this castle prepared. Years before we even opened it. There are four houses, they are named appropriately after the Founders. Gryffindor for the brave, valiant, true of heart, with daring nerve and chivalry. Ravenclaw who value wit, intelligence, and knowledge. Slytherin," Helga's face had turned a little stern, her brow arching slightly as she continued. ", Slytherin whose students are cunning, ambitious, relentless, resourceful, and above all pure of blood." Helga's face changed though as she got to her own house. "Then there is Hufflepuff, where we value patience, loyalty, dedication, fair play, and above all else second chances." Hermione softened regretting the jokes that she head heard, or laughed at, about Hufflepuff's. They weren't dolts, they were kind souls who believed anyone could achieve their dreams through perseverance.

"Those are most noble qualities." Hermione told Helga softly. "How do you go about choosing the students for each of the houses?" She asked curiously. Hermione knew, from Hogwarts, A History, that the sorting hat wouldn't be creating for a few more years. Not until the Founders were finding themselves closer to the end of their lives did they think to make it.

"We hand pick them. A series of questions, small tests of sorts, and of course, it is their choice. If a student comes to us and they ask to be placed in a house we do take that into great consideration." Helga explained, something Hermione admired. It also explained why the hat had allowed her to choose Gryffindor instead of Ravenclaw. Hermione had wit, but as an eleven year old she wanted to be bold, daring, and most of all brave when in the face of adversary.


	10. Chapter 10

Oh Draco was going to get Hermione back for that. She would suffer dearly for the her little comments. He didn't know how, or when, but he'd make sure that when the opportunity arose, he wouldn't pass it up. The taller, boisterous Gryffindor leader had pulled Draco along heartily. He immediately began explaining the four houses, how they were picked and so on. Pulling Draco along, Godric gave him a fairly similar tour to the one Helga gave Hermione, the difference was Salazar had followed Godric, adding in tidbits here and there.

"Your quarters are down in the dungeons. I hope that you don't mind, your classroom will also be down there, for good reason though." Godric grinned at Draco. "We didn't know it when the class was designed of course, that we would have a Magical Creatures teacher, at least not this soon, it is very convenient though."

"Yes, I'm sure that no one properly planned for this." Salazar mumbled dryly. Though Godric only clapped him on the shoulder laughing heartily.

"Don't be such a stick in the mud 'Zar just because you wanted the room down here with your students. You know that the tower is better. More open air, the kind of magic that you do all but requires it." Godric reminded him, though to Draco Salazar didn't look as if he needed to be reminded.

"What classes do you teach?" Draco asked both of the men. He was doing his best to seem polite, interested. Unlike Hermione he knew better than to make it seem as if he had just 'heard' everything.

"Ah, Transfiguration is what I attempt to teach these rascals. Transfiguration and dueling. Not everyone has the heart for the kind of dueling I like to do though." Godric chuckled, his hand falling to the sword at his side. Draco hadn't noticed it before then, instead he had noticed the way the older man's eyes had lingered on Hermione. Surely he didn't fancy Granger of all people.

"Yes, not everyone thinks it's a good idea to cross blades, or wands, with you Godric." Salazar commented a wry smile on his thin lips. "I on the other hand teach Wandlore. It's not for the faint of heart of course." Draco had the sneaking suspicion that Salazar meant him. The irony of it. Draco, a pureblood who had been sorted into the house of Slytherin and the Founder didn't seem to like him.

"Oh, no I doubt it is. Wandlore is one of the most difficult magics to master. Some might say that you don't truly ever master it." Draco couldn't help himself. He'd be damned if the Founder of his House was going to think him a nimrod. "Some suggest that the magic of creating wands simply allows you to twist the fabrics of their magic so that others may prosper. So that they may find the witch, or wizard, they were intended for." Godric blinked looking at Draco before laughing, clapping Salazar on his thin shoulder.

"Well 'Zar! It would seem as if someone here finally understands the wands the same way that you do." Godric grinned. The more he did it though, the more he smiled, the more Draco found that he didn't like the man. Not that, that was a surprise. He was a Slytherin afterall!

"That, Godric, remains to be seen." Salazar mumbled glaring at his friend. Draco couldn't help but feel a little smug that the two weren't as chummy as it seemed at a glance. His next words were purely to appease Salazar.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of thinking that I know or understand wandlore. I've done a small bit of reading other than that, I wouldn't say I know much about the subject. Though learning would be something I wouldn't be against. Unfortunately my own wand got destroyed on the journey over. Gra-." Draco cleared his throat, removing the scowl from his face. "Hermione and I got into an accident and a horse stamped on it." The lie wasn't a good one, but it was the best he could do.

"Oh not to worry!" Godric exclaimed pulling Salazar in the way he had held Draco previously. "I'm sure 'Zar here can whip you up a replacement wand. Next week when you start your classes I'm sure that you'll have a new wand made by the best Wandmaker in well, we're not exactly in Britain but he is the best in Britain." Godric assured Draco.

"Of course, you can come by my office later and we will begin choose your core and wood. After that I will be able to construct your wand." Salazar explained. Draco arched a brow looking at him. "Is that not suitable to your tastes Draco?" He asked seeing the look on Draco's face.

"No, that's perfectly alright with me. I'm just surprised that you don't have pre-created wands." Draco explained honestly.

"I do have some in stock. If they call to you, you are free to have one of them. Typically they are for examples in my classes though. I would have devote my time fully to the creation of wands, not running this school, if I were to have enough different wands for you to just choose one. After all, it's the wand that chooses the wizard Mr. Malfoy, it's not always clear why." Salazar explained looking peeved.

"Of course, I was not trying to question your methods." Draco bowed a little. If he knew one thing, it was how to interact with those of a high standing. There was a sort of etiquette one had to have. One of the few useful things his Father had taught him.

"Aww lay off him Salazar." This was the first time Godric had used the man's real name and it seemed to cull the man a little. "Now, here you are Draco. This will be your quarters." The heavy door was rounded, made of smooth metal, there was no door knob, instead there was a rune. A symbol that Draco didn't recognize. Godric pressed his wand to the rune and muttered the word "Mellon." A heavy click sounded and the door swung open.

"Oh, this will do nicely." Draco commented at once entering the room. He also had a living room/office area. Everything was made of dark ash wood, or stone, it was decorated in tones of grey, silver, and green. Yes, he could tell that Salazar's influence had been all over the dungeons. "Yes, this is a very big step up from what I had to endure while we traveled. It was practically squalor." He added darkly to himself. The bedroom matched in color, though the bedspread was grey with emerald designs on it.

"Glad you like it. While green might not be my chosen color it isn't a bad one by far. I'd say that Rowena and Salazar did a great job decorating the castle." This news surprised Draco. The whole castle? Together Salazar and Rowena had decorated the whole castle? That was very interesting news indeed.

"Perhaps we should show him where he will be conducting the classes that will be held inside the building? I daresay that not all of them will be inside. After all, not all creatures will be brought into the school I'm sure. Some are far too large. Not that I expect our young friend here will be able to coax a dragon into letting people ogle at it."

"I daresay not." Godric laughed in agreement. Though Draco only felt challenged. "You are right though 'Zar, come Draco and we will show you the classroom I was speaking about before." Draco couldn't bring himself to give anything more than a little nod. He didn't have any excitement in him at the idea of teaching a but of snot-nosed dweebs about different creatures that they didn't want to learn about.

The room that they entered wasn't far from his quarters, though a little deeper down. He could feel the degrees drop slightly. For a moment Draco thought the only light in the room was green. Looking at the high dome of the room, Draco realized that it wasn't green light. They were under the lake. The dome of the room was made of glass, very sturdy glass. They were near the bottom of the lake Draco had to guess because a little ways away he could see the bottom and the small colony of merpeople gathered in their homes. Even as he watched the giant squid flashed by, a giant orange eye gazing into the classroom for a moment.

"Magnificent isn't it? In this room alone you'll find different magical species to have your students study." Godric explained. "There are many creatures in the lake, some we put there, others were here long before we chose this location." He added staring off into the green waters.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure this will be an excellent place to teach the students on days that we will be inside." Draco agreed. The dawning problem that he saw was the lesson plans he would have to make. Different creatures he'd have to teach them about. "How many classes will I have?" Draco asked looking over the few books that had appeared in the classroom. There weren't many, but Draco had the sneaking suspicion that the elves had done their work and quickly.

"You'll probably have two or three classes a week. There are only 70 students in the school currently. All classes, save for mine." Salazar gave a little bow a slightly smug look on his face. "Are mandatory. So I imagine you will have no more than twenty students at a time. You will of course have each segment of students each day you have a class." He added. Draco nodded a little curtly.

"Yes, you and your lovely friend will probably have a bit of spare time. Perhaps we could branch out. There are other subjects that could be taught." Godric suggested rubbing his beard as he thought about it. "Defensive Magic, Herbology, Healing Magic, the realms are quite open." Draco didn't hear much of what he had said save for his 'lovely friend' it made Draco's lip curl though Godric didn't see it.

"Yes, I'm sure Hermione would be more than happy to delve into another area of teaching." Draco said, feeling a little dead inside, his words reflecting that. The Founder of Gryffindor house seemed to be soft on Granger. The founder of Slytherin house seemed to loathe him. God the world had gone topsy turvy.

"Yes, yes, I should go and talk to her about that. I will leave you two to talk about wands." Godric said, a glint in his eye. He clapped both the men on the shoulder, striding from the room meticulously combing his beard with his fingers. The awkward silence in his wake made Draco and Salazar look at one another boredly.

"I suppose we should go about setting up your wand wood and wand core." He didn't say anything else, he turned, and began walking out of the dungeons. Draco took that as his cue to follow and did so, glaring at the man's back the entire time having the greatest urge to cut his thin little ponytail off. From the paintings, statues, and look of his receding hairline, Draco reckoned that Salazar valued the small amount of hair he had left incredibly.

Salazar's office, or his quarters whatever he wanted to call them, weren't that impressive. It was strange though. He had various different types and lengths of wood all around the place. He also had, what Draco could only guess was different cores for wands. He recognized unicorn hair from it's white luminescence there was also solid gold strands of air.

"Is that juvenile unicorn hair?" Draco asked walking over to it, looking at it in the jar. They sparkled, almost humming with magic.

"Yes." Salazar answered shortly. Draco shot him a perturbed look making the old man sigh and set down the piece of wood he'd been holding. "While not as stable as adult unicorn hair juvenile unicorns are immensely powerful. They don't have an exact control over the magic they harness but within a wand, with the right barer, they are extremely powerful."

"Yes, I can certainly see why it would be an interesting wand core, not to mention a good one." Draco mumbled moving on looking at different cores.

"Indeed, now if you'd please, I'd like you to walk over to this table. Keep your eyes closed and hover your hand over the wood on the table. With your eyes open it might change whether or not you feel the pull of the wand. It will feel like warmth, almost a burning sensation. The wand wood is at it's most unstable so the magic reverberates into heat." Salazar explained and they began the slow process of Draco picking out the wood to his new wand. Unfortunately when they got to the cores things were much more difficult. Each of them either pulled away from the wood or burned. The unicorn hair had burst into brilliant silver flames when Salazar had touched them together.

"It would appear, that none of the things I have in stock are a suitable match for the Ebony wood." Salazar said. Draco could see that it more than frustrated him. "There are more cores for wands of course. Basilisk horns, for example." Draco didn't miss the twitch of Salazar's finger toward his own wand. Draco smirked, he couldn't help but feel that Salazar Slytherin having a wand made from a Basilisk Horn was. . .badass. "I do not have any of those cores in my possession though so we'll have to gather you one."

"How do we go about that?" Draco asked curiously. The more Salazar had explained, the deeper he'd gotten into the Wandlore making it intrigued him. "I feel as if the easy answer is, going and plucking it ourselves." He added groaning.

"Yes, young Malfoy you are exactly right. That is what we will have to do. How do you feel about taking on a dragon? Dragon heartstring and dragon fangs are the only cores I have worked with that I don't have here." The smile on Salazar's face did nothing to calm Draco's nerves. The man looked as if he almost wanted to go haggle with a dragon.

"If that's what we've got to do." Draco grumbled rolling his eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

Draco had the sneaking feeling that he and Salazar were about to start getting along. Draco had made a, rather lewd, joke about the two of them gathering the hair of a Veela for a wand core. He had the unfortunate, pleasure of hearing Salazar's rather high pitched gasping laughter. He had found the joke quite amusing.

"Oh, to be under the spell of a Veela again. If only they didn't turn quite nasty when you decided not to stay in the morning." By the sounds of it, Salazar knew first hand. A feat which impressed Draco even.

"Salazar!" Godric burst in the room. The look in his face held no trace of joy. "Come! It's the Chimaera, it's in town. We've got to help." Salazar burst into action immediately, moving faster than Draco thought his slim frame would be able to. "You!" Godric pointed at Draco startling him. "Go get Helga and Hermione. Rowena has already left. Helga will have the blood that you spoke of in her stores. Then come down before any more blood is shed."

Draco didn't know what else to do other than obey. Hell he didn't even know where he was going to find the two of them. Before he could ask though Godric and Salazar had disappeared. What the hell was Draco supposed to do? He didn't have a wand! He couldn't help them fight off a Chimaera. Looking at the wands that Salazar already had made, Draco grabbed one refusing to be defenseless and ran through the halls yelling Hermione's name at the top of his lungs.

Good god they had only been there for a few hours and already they had a crisis on their hands. _Medieval times. Wonderful. Let's play with time Draco. Let's try to change Father's fate Draco. You prat._ Oh yes he had really screwed the pooch with this one.

Hermione was all but mooning over a scroll about Peruvian Djinn. She hadn't ever read anything quite like it before, it really was fascinating. It only made Hermione feel more giddy that she was reading it in her own office with Helga Hufflepuff sitting in the room lounging with her, reading from a similar scroll.

"This is really fascinating. I never knew that Djinn existed. Well, I knew that ghouls were referred to as types of Djinn but there was nothing I ever read that suggested that Djinn, actually living breathing powerful beings existed." Hermione commented unfurling the scroll further to read more.

"Yes, Salazar had, well he'll say it was pleasant, he had the pleasure of meeting a tribe of Djinn once on his travels to gather exotic wand wood. Between you and me, I rather think that they are the reason he started losing his hair. Man used to have a glorious head full of hair." Helga shook her head, muttering what a shame it was beneath her breath.

"Really? I'd love to ask him about that. I don't want him to be upset that I ask him about it. Do you think he will?" Hermione asked curiously, though Helga didn't get a chance to answer as both of them heard the yelling coming through the halls. Hermione stood up immediately, wand drawn, Helga mimicking her actions.

"Hermione!" Draco burst through the portrait. She wasn't sure how he had gotten through it without knowing the password, that was something she would have to ask him later. Gasping a little, hand on his side, Draco wheezed for a moment. "Good. You're both." He swallowed taking a deep breath. "Here. Chimaera down in town. Godric said that you would have the blood that we need to kill the beast." There was a fire in Helga's eyes and she nodded.

"The blood and the sword. Though I dare say we should bring more and dose Godric's sword for good measure." Helga shot off.

"But I thought it had to be mixed under a full moon?" Hermione looked at Draco, her brown eyes blinking in confusion. "Didn't you say it had to be mixed under a full moon?" She asked feeling as if she had missed something.

"That's what the lore says." Draco responded not feeling particularly cross with her at the moment, not knowing that he was about to face a fire breathing conglomerate of multiple animals all that wanted to kill him. "Hermione. We have bigger problems. I don't know if they know the Conjunctivitis Curse. Do you think you'd be able to cast that nonverbally?" Draco asked his voice low. He didn't want to risk Helga coming back and overhearing their conversation.

"Cast Conjunctivify without saying anything? That's a big challenge. I'm not the best at nonverbal spells." Hermione chewed on her bottom lip looking at Draco a little worried.

"Come now Granger. Now isn't the time to be modest. Do you think you can do it or not?" Draco asked slamming his hand down on her desk. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"Let's say that I can. Does that mean you have some sort of plan?" Hermione asking him seething. They had a crisis on their hands and he still found time to piss her off!

"I do. You just make sure that when I'm in position you cast the curse. Granger. Don't miss. It'll be my life if you do, not yours." He shoved off of her desk with such force he moved it slightly. Helga arrived back moments later. She held a sword that looked awfully close to a scimitar a thick black paste lining the edge of the blade. In her hand a bottle of the same paste. Helga tossed the sword to Draco who caught it with finesse.

"Come on, we've got to go help the others." Helga commanded taking control of the situation with flare.

"Helga! Is this even going to work?" Hermione asked as they ran through the castle. "It's supposed to be under a full moon that these things were combined. It's daylight outside." As they burst through the castle doors Hermione could hear the growing chaos in the distant. People were screaming and Hermione swore she heard an explosion at one point.

"I did mix them under a full moon. The full moon is in two days. I simply made a little leap." Helga explained, Hermione's heart spiked. Helga made a little leap? She leapt through time? Could Helga be the answer that they needed? Could she help them return to their own time?

Hermione felt as if she had never run so far in her life. She knew that she had run faster, further though, that was different. God why did the Hogwarts grounds have to be so expansive? For once Hermione wished that she liked to ride brooms. Ten minutes later Hermione stared in horror as they came upon the town. Houses were already burning. Rowena was putting them out as quickly as she could with the help of a room citizens but it didn't matter.

"Hermione!" Draco's yell brought her back to reality, yelling over the roar of the Chimaera. It sounded like a lion, which didn't surprise her as it had the head of a lion, but much worse. It's long, thick green dragon's tail whipped out trying to catch Salazar around the ankles but the man had quickly moved out of the way sending another curse at it. Godric and Salazar were both circling the creature each hitting it with different stunning spells, some Hermione didn't recognize.

"Godric! Your sword!" Helga yelled jumping into battle valiantly. Godric had one hand on his wand, the other firmly grasped around the ruby handle of his sword. He flung it at Helga, much like she had done to Draco. Leaping out of a blast of fire that the Chimaera had sent her way with a snarl of it's massive head. Hermione had always thought goats were relatively medium sized beasts, though the body attached to the Chimaera had to of been closer to the size of a horse.

"Hermione. Be ready." Draco called over another furiously howl of the Chimaera. Putrid smelling blue blood had sprouted from its hindquarters. Godric had gotten his sword back from Helga embedded with the blood mixture. _It's working! Dear lord it's working!_ Hermione thought to herself in amazement before panic settled over her. She had to curse the damn thing! Draco was moving closer to it, no wand in his hand only the scimitar that Helga had given him. Pointing at wand at the Chimaera Hermione did her best to focus on it's eye.

 _Please Merlin let me do this!_ Hermione all but prayed before thinking, as loudly and strongly as she could. _**Conjunctify!**_ Nothing happened at first and Hermione swore under her breath. Draco was getting closer, throwing Hermione a dirty look.

"Hermione! Now!" He yelled and she saw what he was about to do. He was going to leap at the creature the moment he saw that Hermione had succeeded.

 _ **Conjunctify!**_ God she screamed it in her head. This time it worked. The creature howled in rage it's tail whipping wildly as it's eye closed swelling shut immediately. In it's blind spot Draco seized his opportunity and leap at the creature, sword above his head. Hermione heard the swish of the blade in the air and saw as its head hit the ground in a sickening thunk.

"Oh my. Oh dear. Draco. You, you," Hermione stuttered. Oh how they had changed history indeed. "You killed it. You killed a Chimaera." Over Hermione's words the people had begun to cheer wildly coming out of the houses they had fled to, the last of the fires sizzling out. Even Rowena looked impressed with him. He had a splatter of the foul smelling blood on him, but that didn't cover the red slowly mixing in with it from the gash on his side.

"I did. Now. Can anyone make sure I don't bleed out to death?" Draco asked falling to one of his knees, the only thing holding him up was the hand on the scimitar now firmly in the ground.

"Rowena! Rowena come, this man needs your attention." Helga yelled both she and Hermione had rushed to his aid. Hermione moved to scoop up his left side but Draco pulled away from her a savage curl on his lips.

"Don't touch me!" He spat at her forcing himself to stand. He realized that Godric and Helga were both looking at him incredulously. "I can stand on my own. I don't need help with that. I just need some healing. Can you do that?" Draco asked looking at Rowena. He was still peeved Hermione could tell. A part of her was quite miffed that he had rebuked her help. That had worked so well together! Without her he wouldn't have been able to slay the damn beast in the first place.

" I can heal you a bit. You'll need to get back to the castle and take a potion or two as well as get some bandages." His attitude didn't seem to deter her in the least. "Vulnere Sanaris." Rowena exclaimed waving her wand in the pattern of a hex before almost jabbing it at Draco. He cried out in pain, clutching onto his side. "Your flesh is attempting to meld itself together. It's going to hurt." Rowena explained uninterested.

"Thanks. Couldn't have told me that before you did it?" Draco bit out his breathing strained. After a few moments he finally stood up though, lifting his tunic out of his britches to look at his abdomen. Where there had been four deep gashes only angry, red scars remained.

"Where is the fun in that?" Rowena asked blinking at Draco. "Those are magical scars, they might not ever go away but you'll live." Rowena's attention turned from Draco and instead landed on Hermione. "What spell did you cast at it? I have never seen anything like it." Hermione sputtered.

"The spell? I only cast a stunning spell at it. The effect of my stunning spell must have melded with another. I've never seen that reaction before either." Part of it wasn't a lie. Hermione _hadn't_ ever seen the Conjunctivitis Curse before. She was more interested in how Rowena had known that she had cast a spell at the creature.

"Indeed." Rowena still stared at Hermione for a long moment making her feel an itch deep in her brain. Was Rowena a Legilimens? Could she break into Hermione's mind? Hermione had never trained in Occlumency but from Rowena's dark gaze alone, she was sorely wishing she had. Only the sound of Salazar's voice broke the eerie silence between Rowena and Hermione.

"I think, we might have found your new wand core young Mr. Malfoy." He proclaimed holding up an impressive sized claw freshly picked from the carcass of the Chimaera. "I've never worked with Chimaera before. This," His smirk held a glint of evil, reminding Hermione of all the horrible things she had heard about him. ", this will make for a most fascinating study."

 **A/N: Thank you everyone for your support! I love your reviews. I hope that you are all enjoying my take on the Founders. I updated these last few chapters rather quickly because I had so much fun writing them. Though I want to stress I probably won't post three chapters within twenty-four hours often.**


	12. Chapter 12

"Well, now that that is taken care of." Godric cleared his throat, looking at the Chimaera. Salazar had already taken samples of it, fur, scales, blood, tooth, claws, who knew what else. He seemed content excited even at the prospect of getting to research it more completely. "Why don't we head back up to the castle. I'm sure the students will have heard about the commotion. We should see to them."

"Corpus Serva." Hermione watched in open curiosity as Salazar aimed his wand at the Chimaera. A liquid like substance began to slide over it's body as it lifted into the air.

"What are you doing to it?" She asked blinking. She had never seen anything use a spell like that. Corpus usually pertained to the body.

"I am taking it's body up to the castle to study it further. The spell I placed on it will preserve it just as it is, and I won't have to worry about it decaying and obscuring any tests or information I might gather from it." Salazar explained quickly. Hermione got the distinct impression that the man didn't like answering questions.

"Interesting." Already Hermione's mind was going a million miles an hour. Never before had information on a Chimaera been collected let alone analyzed. Even Newt Scamander hadn't had much to say about the Chimaera. He had written more about Manicore's for Merlin's say. It could be bad, very bad. Then again it could also be good. Potions could be developed that would save lives. What if the wrong lives were saved though?

"Hermione." The sound of her name drew the young woman away from her thoughts. Godric stood before her smiling charmingly. "Would you accompany me back to the castle?" He held his arm out for her. "I would love to introduce you to your students." Hermione blushed looking up at him. She was not a naive woman, she knew when a man faniced her. Never in a million years had she thought she'd catch the fancy of Godric Gryffindor though.

'Oh. Well, Godric, I." Briefly Hermione's eyes left him and she saw the dark scowl on Draco's face almost like a warning. Telling her not to take his arm. "Thank you! I would love to walk with you and I'd be delighted to meet the students." Oh how bright her smile was up at him, the warmth in her voice. She hoped it goaded Draco good.

"Wonderful." Almost like an afterthought, he looked at the others. "I trust that you will all be coming along shortly?"

"Yes, we will be right behind your Godric. The ladies, that is to say, Rowena and I will make sure to get this young man back to the castle." The twinkle in Helga's eye, Hermione didn't know why but it made her want to blush deeper as if Helga knew Hermione's thoughts.

"Good, good. Salazar can help if you need be." Godric didn't seem to mind that Helga had all but questioned his manhood outright. Resting his large hand delicately on top of Hermione's together they strode toward the castle. Almost immediately Godric began making small talk.

"While all of our students are a gift in their own right, there is one I feel you'll take a special liking to. He had certainly intrigued all of us. Able to change his appearance at will. Most interesting." A metamorphmagus? Oh that was interesting indeed!

"Oh really? That does sound quite interesting. Is he a member of your own house?" Hermione couldn't mentioned that he would be a member of her house if they were the case.

"Sadly no." Godric did seem a little peeved to admit it. "While skilled, definitely intelligent, he wasn't exactly what I look for in my students." Hermione had the distinct feeling this particular student might not have expressed interest in Godric's house from his tone of voice. "No, Merlin is in Slytherin. I daresay my old friend will teach him well."

"I'm sorry, but did you say his name was Merlin?" Hermione felt her heart thudding. Surely it wasn't _the_ Merlin.

"Yes, Merlin Gray." Crap it was that Merlin. "Though he seems to dislike his full name. He is young, only eleven, but appears to have an excellent control over magic already." Hermione had always know that Merlin attended Hogwarts, she had even known that he'd been sorted into Slytherin. If Merlin was attending school already though . .

"Is there, by any chance, a young woman by the name of Morgana attending here as well?" Hermione asked trying to keep her voice from rising an octave and causing any suspicion by her line of questioning.

"Morgana? No, no we don't have a Morgana. We do have a young woman by the name of Morgan. Does that matter?" Godric asked looking at Hermione a sort of bemused curiosity tugging at his features.

"No, no. I'm sure that it isn't relevant." Hermione waved him off. Though still, a nagging sensation lingered in the back of her mind. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, she'd have to though. She'd figure it out sooner or later or go insane trying to. That was how Hermione was.

"It might be rather brazen of me Hermione." They had stopped outside the doors. "I must admit I find you quite enchanting. Tell me, I beg you not to think the question too forward of me. Your travelling companion, the young Draco, is he?" Godric had stopped talking, his green eyes studying her face intensely.

"Draco? Oh, oh no." Hermione snorted in laughter covering her mouth quickly to not seem rude. "No, Godric. I think he would rather battle that Chimaera again than confess to any romantic desires, feelings, or notions toward me." Hermione explained, he had looked rather perplexed at her laughter.

"Then he is a fool!" Godric's sudden conviction, with such passion that it started Hermione. There was a fire in his eyes so vibrant it made Hermione blush. "You are a beautiful and talented young woman. Any man would be honored to call you his." Oh dear. Men of the medieval era certainly knew how to woo women.

"Thank you Godric. That is very kind of you to say." Hermione's voice was quiet and felt thick in her throat. She had to look away under the pressure of his gaze. "Draco is just a-a-a friend." Hermione stumbled over the word. "Iam happy with our current arrangement and have no want for it to change."

"Good, that means I am free to court you. Court you I shall Miss Selwyn." Bringing her hand up to her lips he kissed it again, leading her in the castle doors. Only the smell of food hitting her suddenly ravenous stomach made her focus on something other than her burning cheeks. With all the excitement of the day, she hadn't gotten to eat.

The others had begun pulling up the hill toward the castle as Godric had spoken to Hermione. She wanted nothing more than to settle down before any questions were thrown her way. Entering the Great Hall, Hermione was surprised to see that there was only one long table, not four. Students turned at their entrance, an older wizard stood approaching Godric. To Hermione it looked as it he had been the appointed one to do so.

"We heard that the Chimaera was wreaking havoc in town? Was anyone hurt? Where are the other teachers sir?" The old man's eyes barely flickered upon Hermione. He, clearly, didn't believe she would hold any of the answers he sought. The other students though were gazing at her curiously. Though he looked older than Godric he spoke respectfully, letting Hermione know without a doubt, he was a student.

"Worry not Claudius. When the others arrive your Headmistress will, undoubtedly, address the whole school about the matter." Godric assured the man. _Headmistress? Is Helga the school's very first Headmistress? I've never read anything about that!_ Hermione's respect for Helga only grew. "Come Hermione, you can sit beside me." Godric grinned down at her, leading toward the faculty table.

"Oh, I don't want to take someone else's seat." Hermione said looking at the four large backed seats. Each of them were appropriately colored with plush velvet of their house. Clearly Hermione could see the deep shade of blue beside Godric's gold and rub chair.

"Nonsense. We will simply add another chair for you! Do you have a color preference?" Godric asked looking at Hermione his wand raised, ready to to conjure her up a chair.

"Purple. My room is purple and I quite like it." Godric grinned at her.

"Say no more." Godric gave her a saucy wink and conjured up a chair identical to the others for her, save for the velvet on the back and bottom were of a beautiful purple. The color matched her room almost perfectly. The sight of a giant roast beef, mashed potatoes, asparagus, Hermione couldn't count all the food on the faculty table but it all looked delicious and she was starving.

"Headmistess Hufflepuff!" Several of the students had popped up as the others arrived in the Great Hall. A flurry of questions were fired at Helga as they came further into the Great Hall toward the faculty table.

"Please, please, I will answer all your questions as soon as I can. Let all of us get something to eat and then I will answer your questions." Helga assured all of the students. She arched a fine brow looking at Hermione as she sat down in the seat next to Godric. The smile on her face small, knowing. A few minutes later the other four had gotten themselves situated, Draco sitting on the other side of Rowena, his chair a deep grey. Hermione didn't know it, but it also matched his room.

"Now, that we have all gotten a chance to eat I will answer your questions. But, if you will permit me I will answer a few before I take any." Helga said chuckling. A few of the students echoed her laughter. "You will of course, have noticed there are two new additions to the faculty. Beside Godric we have the Miss Hermione Selwyn, she will be teaching the subject Ancient Runes." There was polite clapping as Helga introduced her. Hermione wasn't sure what to do, but she stood, gave a modest bow before sitting back down. "There beside Rowena is Draco Malfoy. He will be teaching Magical Creatures." To Hermione's displeasure the clapping was decidedly louder at the prospect of Draco's class. Something he smirked across the table to at Hermione.

"What about the Chimaera?!" One of the students asked. All of the students agreed hurriedly. They didn't want to hear about the teachers so much as the Chimaera.

"Yes, of course, of course the interesting news." Helga chuckled as did Godric and Hermione. Rowena and Salazar both looked peeved. To Hermione it seemed as if they didn't like students showing even the smallest amount of disrespect. "The Chimaera did indeed attack the town. Thankfully, with the help of our newest teachers we were able to stop it." The students cheered loudly clapping. Even though there was only seventy of them it sounded almost thunderous. "Now, Monday morning you will all be given your new class schedules that will fit in Ancient Runes and Magical Creatures. Until then, please tuck in and return to your Common Rooms."

With a flurry of movement the students stood, slowly beginning to file out of the Great Hall. A few of them didn't though, a few began walking toward the faculty table. One of which was a young man, he had a head full of silver hair. He walked right up to Hermione and stuck his small hand out toward her.

"Hello Madam Selwyn, I would like to be one of the first to officially welcome you to Hogwarts. I, for one, look forward to learning Ancient Runes. I've been able to translate a small few but having someone competent to teach it would be a relief."

"Oh, well thank you." Hermione took his hand shaking it gently. "I take it that you are Merlin?" She asked watching as his hair began adding streaks of violet to it.

"Yes, my apologies I should have said that first." His thin face blushed. Hermione couldn't help smile at him gently. He appeared to be the kind of young man who was trying hard to be seen as more mature than his age. Hermione could understand that, she had been almost the same kind of child.

"It's not a problem Merlin. If we are ever to make mistakes it should be at school right?" Hermione suggested giving him a cordial wink. "Besides some of the most brilliant people I've met weren't the best in social situations." Merlin seemed to perk up at this information, his violet streaks turning to a brilliant yellow.

"I think you might be right Madam Selwyn!" He said grinning up at her brightly before turning and heading out of the Great Hall. Hermione couldn't help but muse over the fact that arguably one of the best wizards ever known, certainly the most famous, had just taken advice from her. Looking at Godric, seeing that he was caught by two different students, Hermione knew this was her only chance to get away.

"Hermione." Godric called to her, his green eyes hopeful. She motioned for him to stay, trying to say that the students were more important than her at the moment. He nodded though Hermione knew this wasn't going to be the end of him trying to gain her affections. Getting up, intending on heading toward her quarters and begin planning some of her lessons, Hermione stopped surprised that Draco was leaning just outside the Great Hall.

"Did I hear that right? Did that student just introduce himself to you. That was Merlin? As in THE Merlin?" Draco asked scowling. Hermione regarded him coldly. She hadn't forgotten the extreme reaction she had gotten from him earlier. "And what's with you and Godric? What are you trying to bag yourself another famous Wizard?"

"I am not trying to bag anyone." Hermione flared up, her eyes vicious. 'Not that it's _any_ of your business. Now, if you don't mind." Pushing past him, Hermione had known he would try to stop her, had planned on it even. She didn't miss a beat as he grabbed her arm. "Don't touch me." She tore her arm from him savagely stalking away. Draco's eyes widened slightly as he looked at her.

"Come on now Gr- Hermione. You didn't take that seriously did you?" Draco called after her. She didn't turn to look back at him, nor did she say anything. "God damn witches." Draco growled slamming the side of his fist in the wall for a moment before shoving off, heading down into the dungeons.


	13. Chapter 13

_Fucking Granger. What the hell is her problem?_ Draco couldn't stop the furious thoughts rolling through him as he stalked into the the quarters that he would call his until they got back. If they got back. Slamming his door shut behind him Draco slumped into an armchair. He only sat still for a matter of moments before he kicked the coffee table in front of him.

"I mean, where the hell does she get off?" He burst out pushing himself up out of the chair. Running a hand through his hair, stalking back and forth across the room. "Talking to me like that. Filthy little mudblood. She's the reason we're in this mess. She should be thanking me that she's even alive. What does she do though? Goes off flirting with Godric Gryffindor! She wants to preach to me about changing history? Next thing we know they'll be reading about little half blood broods of his and hers."

Draco growled to himself, coming to stop in front of his washbin. Leaning over the sink, Draco looked up at himself in the mirror. His hair was longer than he liked for it to get and the stubble that he had been forced to let grow in was thicker than he would have ever liked for it to get. Running a hand over his face, Draco sighed. He needed to take care of this, then he would grab a long hot shower and stop thinking about Damn Granger. All she did was irritate him by the very thought of her.

With a practiced hand, steady, patient that suggested he had done it more than once, Draco began trimming back his hair carefully. In the end it was perhaps a little shorter than he would have liked but better. After a close shave and a shower almost hot enough to boil the skin on his back, Draco finally resembled his old self. That didn't stop the irritating thoughts about Hermione rolling through his mind though.

"How the hell am I going to get back?" Draco muttered to himself. He still had slightly gaunt cheeks and circles under his eyes. A few good nights of sleep would fix that though. How he was going to handle the next few weeks, hell maybe months, teaching brats and watching Granger moon over Godric, that Draco didn't know.

"Granger." Draco all but spat the word out. Gods did she get under his skin. Pulling off his tunic, Draco looked at the dark mark on his am. It had faded a while ago to almost nothing. No longer vivid and black, now only a faint pink, almost like an aging scar. "I'd take being stuck here with the Weasel over her." The images of Godric looking at Hermione as if she were the bright shining star in his sky. They made him sick.

Gazing at the desk, looking at the rolls of parchment, quills, ink, and books laying there ready for him Draco knew he needed to be making lesson plans. That's what Godric's precious Hermione would be doing. He wouldn't be surprised if the whole year was mapped out for her already. Looking down at it all, Draco found all he wanted to do was pass out for twelves hours and forget he was trapped thousands of years in the past with Hermione Granger. So, that's what Draco did.

Hermione had also taken a long shower, sighing over the warm water. She hadn't been able to have a proper bath in days. With a full stomach and the knowledge that she had gotten the last word with Draco, Hermione felt content. Her long curls wrapped up to try and keep them more tame, Hermione looked at herself. Pink cheeked, a little flushed, happy.

Hermione felt a little guilty that she was happy. They were supposed to be finding a way back. She was supposed to be finding a way back. Instead here she was, enjoying the comforts of Hogwarts once again and enjoying it. Looking at the roll of parchment she had labeled 'Lesson Plans' earlier Hermione chewed on her lip.

"I mean, while we are here I should play the part." Hermione rationalized to herself out loud. "It's not like I'm going to find the answer to us getting back here, tonight anyway." She added sitting down at the desk. An hour later Hermione felt the pull of her bed, it was lulling her name promising a better night sleep than she had, had in days. Hermione was deep in lesson planning. She already had three weeks planned out but Hermione wanted at least four before she turned in.

Hermione hadn't given a second thought to Draco after getting in the shower. He hadn't gotten under her skin. Hermione still felt a little smug about how she had fired back at him. With a content sigh Hermione finished her fourth week, stood up proud of her work and went to bed. She had a feeling the next few weeks, if they had went anything like the day had, that they would be eventful. Hermione couldn't help but look forward to them.

After Abby had repeated the story of what happened to Harry they had moved quickly. Harry had Abby take him to the summer home in Bulgaria. Much to his frustration Harry hadn't any better luck at finding clue as to what had happened. Abby wasn't a blubbering mess like Dobby would have been, for that Harry was thankful. She had the same resilience and determination though and a part of Harry ached when he looked at her.

"Mr. Harry Potter sir, Abby is thinking we should be getting back sir. Your wife, Miss Ginny, she is very clever. She may be able to help us. Unless you know someone else." Abby suggested timidly. He had poured through the few books and potion ingredients that had survived the blast for the last two days.

"That's the problem Abby. The person I would normally go to about these problems is Hermione." Harry ran his hands through his hair frustrated. "The only other people I can think of I can't talk to."

"Why sir? Why can't you be talking to them sir?" Abby asked. She hadn't been good for much, but asking Harry these questions had seemed to help. At least Abby thought so. She was there for him to bounce his own ideas off of.

"Well, because they are both gone. Dead. Nott died yesterday morning before even making it to Azkaban. Not that he would have been helpful I'm betting and the other man. Well he died." Harry stopped, his eyes widening as a thought dawned on him. "There may still be a way to speak with him though yeah?" Harry looked excited for the first time in 48 hours.

"How is that? You is not able to talk to the dead sir." Harry might have been excited but Abby just looked more worried.

"No, no, I can't talk to the dead Abby but I can talk to a painting." Harry looked exceptionally pleased with himself. "Come on back to my house." Harry disapparated without further notice, a half crazed look in his eye.

"What do you mean sir?" Abby asked as she popped back into Harry's living room with him. "Talk to a painting?" The hour was quite late but both Ginny, and Ron to Harry's surprise, were still awake. Ron jumped up to his feet at the sight of them. He looked relieved, worried, and angry all at the same time.

"What's this about a painting?"

"Harry! Why didn't you tell me about Hermione?" Ron and Ginny had spoken at the same time though Harry acknowledged neither and instead rushed to his fireplace. It had died down to embers though a pinch of Floo Powder made it roar to life in bright green as Harry plunged his head in.

"What in the blood hell is going on here? What is he doing?" Ginny asked throwing her hands up in the air. Though she didn't make a moved to pull him out.

"He is talking to a painting Miss." Abby's words only served to perplex Ginny and Ron further.

"Talking to a painting. Why? Who?" Ron's furrowed brow only knitted closer together in confusion.

"Abby does not know sir. Mr. Harry Potter did not explain to Abby, he simply came here. Abby is thinking we must wait." So, together the three sat quietly, listening to Harry's muted conversation he was having with the mystery painting. The listened for the better part of an hour, catching a few words here and there the prevailing ones being Nott, Time, Draco, and Hermione.

"His knees have got to be killing him." Ginny mumbled, Ron nodded in agreement. Hunched over their fireplace on his knees? Oh Ginny didn't doubt he'd be sore.

"Perhaps we should have some biscuits maybe pumpkin juice ready for when we is finished?" Abby suggested hopping off the sofa. "Mr. Potter has not eaten all day. He will be hungry Abby thinks."

"He hasn't eaten? Yeah, yeah he's definitely going to be hungry." Ginny moved to stand, ready to take care of her husband. Abby held out a hand to stop her.

"Please Miss, This is how Abby can help. It is what House Elves do." Popping into the kitchen making quiet noise Abby soon had the small flat smelling of bread, treacle tart, and biscuits. Ron shook his head grumbling.

"I'd love to have an Elf around. If I hadn't said that to Hermione. Well. You know." Ginny arched a brown at her brother. "I would have thrown Lucius out on his face! She wouldn't even be in this mess." For the past twelve hours Ginny had heard similar rantings and was quite sick of it. As he continued to rave, Ginny threw him an icy glare to rival their mothers.

"Well. It's true." Ron added moodily, sitting back against the sofa. A tense twenty minutes passed before Abby rushed into the living area, a tray over her head full of food and icy pumpkin juice. Setting it down, they almost missed that Harry had pulled his head out of the fire. No one said anything for a moment, they simply watched as he winced, rubbed his knees and pulled himself into a chair.

"Mr. Harry Potter sir." Abby said quietly, pushing a plate full of room and a large glass of pumpkin juice at him. His eyes were still bright though his face was tired. He drank deeply, silently, ate a biscuit and sighed before finally speaking.

"I've just finished talking with Dumbledore and he thinks he might be able to help us."

 **A/N Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments! I hope that you are all enjoying the different aspects of HP lore that I have pulled in. I would also just like to say that while the main characters are Hermione and Draco this will be a long fic and a slow burner. Things won't happen automatically for them. Be patient and I know you'll love it. I've got oodles in store for you!**


	14. Chapter 14

Hermione was never one to fuss over clothes, that morning was no different. She didn't even look at the color of the gown she pulled on, rather she ran her fingers through her soft, long, curls and left for the Great Hall. Eggs, bacon, toast, kippers, porridge, marmalade, all of it sounded scrumptious.

"Good morning." Hermione blinked hearing Rowena's voice beside her. "I see that you are an early rise as well." To Hermione's surprise she was wearing her diadem. Rowena's eyes didn't need to follow Hermione's for her to know what she was looking at. "I trust you have heard of my diadem."

"Of course. While I'm sure it serves purposes far greater than it's beauty to you, it is quite lovely." _But why are you wearing it?"_ Hermione couldn't help but wonder.

"Thank you. It is Goblin made, of course though the magic within it is of my doing. I was there when they forged it. I daresay it'll last a millennia. Though I want it buried with me. Typically, I only wear it when I seek answers to difficult problems.'

"Oh?" Hermione found her interest piqued. The Great Hall was all but empty when they arrived, only a few students eating their breakfast groggily. "What problem are you seeking the answer to?"

"You didn't strike me as the ignorant kind Ms. Selwyn." Hermione blinked in alarm as they came to the faculty table. Rowena was quite a few inches taller than her, Hermione looked at her in surprise. "You are the problem." With her nose in the air she stepped around the table, sitting straight backed as she began eating. Hermione felt the prick of tears in her eyes. Doing her best to ignore it, she sat down slowly not feeling very hungry anymore.

Hermione had thought after leaving school, that she would also be free of mean girls who made her feel this way. Her eggs even looked sad as she put them on toast. The thing was, Hermione wasn't even sure what Rowena had meant by her comment. How was she a problem let alone _the_ problem? The toast tasted bland in her mouth, though Hermione chewed slowly, mechanically.

"Ah, glad to see you're awake already." Godric's voice brought Hermione out of her self pitying thoughts. "I imagine you'll want to have a look around the castle this morning?' He asked sliding into his chair with ease, quickly piling his plate up. "I'm sorry to say I wasn't able to bid you goodnight." He winked at her. Hermione couldn't help the grin, his happiness was infectious. Beside her though, Rowena cleared her throat. Godric looked at her over Hermione.

"Yes, I saw you as well Rowena, good morning." Hermione almost spit her tea out at Godric's condescending tone. Sneaking a glance at Rowena, Hermione's eyes widened in shock to see he wasn't upset. Instead there was a warm twinkle in her eye. She was looking at Godric with such fondness, it all clicked for Hermione. She understood why Rowena was upset with her. She was jealous! Jealous of Godric's attention toward Hermione. Oh, oh Hermione didn't like this. She didn't want to be on the wrong side of Rowena because she was the shiny new toy.

"Oh, come now Godric," Rowena's voice was full of that warmth and a hint of mirth. ", You know I simply think it's polite to acknowledge your peers or superiors when you enter a room." She smiled at him eating a bit of toast.

"Tell me, Rowena." Godric's voice had an edge of annoyance to it. Hermione didn't know for sure, but she assumed he knew of Rowena's ways and tactics. "Why are you wearing your diadem this morning?" Helga, Salazar, and draco had entered in the Great Hall at that moment and Hermione didn't see the blush on Rowena's cheeks. Though she heard her whispering something about 'She had simply felt like it.'

'Ah! Good morning. Not to say that I'm surprised to see you awake. I took you for an early riser." Helga smiled at Hermione. "Though I am surprised to find you awake Godric." Helga added her gaze shifting toward Rowena, arching a brow deeply. Rowena ignored it pointedly, Hermione noted.

"It's a lovely morning Helga, why shouldn't I be awake?" Godric asked chuckling. His old friend knew him well.

"No, no, by all means. Be awake dear friend. It's just not quite like you. Now. Do you have any plans for the day? Hermione? Draco?" Helga asked. She dominated the table as well as the conversation. Hermione admired her the more Helga spoke and fell into effortless leadership.

"Draco and I will be constructing his wand today for the class to watch. After all the use of Chimaera fang is a new one. One unlike we've seen in a great many year. It should be most interesting." Salazar spoke up though his tone didn't suggest that it would be interesting in the least.

"Oh, that does sound fascinating. Do you think it would be alright if I saw in on that? I would love to observe that process. Wand making is a highly unusual form of magic. I doubt I'd ever be able to achieve it but I'd love to witness." Hermione had simply begun to ramble, she hadn't intended to flatter Salazar though she had, much to Draco's annoyance. He didn't want her there. Commenting. Asking questions. Being an insufferable know it all.

"If you are quiet and don't interrupt the process, I see no reason why you shouldn't be permitted to observe." Salazar agreed quietly, not even bothering to look up at her. Inwardly Draco groaned, stabbing at his food. Damn Granger. She ruined everything.

"Surely you don't want to sit in silence and watch Salazar teach Hermione." Godric laughed, though there was a tight look on his face. Oh yes, please. How Draco wanted Hermione to take Godric's advice. In that moment he didn't care if they went off and made babies if it meant she wouldn't be bothering him all day.

"Nonsense." Hermione said briskly. She had already finished eating. "A witch is only as good as the knowledge she has. That which is unknown can be used against her." She had recited the quote perfectly, though it would come centuries later. "If you'll excuse me, I want to pop up to my quarters and get some parchment." Good god she wanted to take notes! Of course perfect Granger wanted to take notes. Draco dropped his spoon, no longer feeling like eating.

"What's that look for?" Rowena's voice was quiet on his left. "Don't you want your friend to join in on your studies with Salazar this morning?" She was looking at him slyly from the side, almost as if she could hear his thoughts. For a moment, Draco looked at her diadem, wondering. Perhaps the diadem increased her legilimens ability?

"It's hard to want to always feel second best." Draco answered coldly, quietly, not bothering to look up from his food. It wasn't a lie, though it wasn't the reason he didn't want her around either.

"Indeed." Was Rowena's only reply. Draco looked up at her in time to see the older woman gazing at Godric. Draco almost threw his plate. Was everyone in love with him? At least Helga didn't seem to be, thankfully. God what did Granger see in Godric anyhow? Didn't see have a fiance? Weasley? He had heard of them getting engaged he was sure.

"Draco." Salazar's sharp tone made the young man scowl. He didn't like being talked to that way. "If you are finished eating my class starts in twenty minutes." Draco nodded curtly. He understood what Salazar meant. He was expected to be there _before_ the students came in. Finishing his orange juice, wishing strongly that it was Firewhiskey, Draco followed Salazar silently. Why did Granger have to go and screw everything up? Little miss Perfect.

"Oh good." There she was, there to make his life miserable. "I was hoping to be back in time. I don't know where your quarters or your classroom is Salazar, so I'll follow you two."

"Oh yes, that's a simply wonderful." Draco muttered darkly. He vaguely thought he heard Salazar chuckle but he wasn't sure. It made him grin though. Salazar didn't seem to like Hermione, nor did Rowena. Both of these things made Draco happy. He hoped that it bothered Hermione that two of the founding Father's didn't like her, that her intelligence hadn't charmed them.

"Miss Selwyn, you can sit . . . there." Salazar conjured a table and chair for her on the far side of the room. It wasn't with the student's desks, a fact that made Draco smirk. "No talking during the process." Hermione's mouth snapped shut. God she already had questions? Hermione nodded, taking her seat briskly, setting out her parchment and ink meticulously before her.

"Draco, come, you will join me up at the front." Salazar beckoned him to a long table full of different woods that Draco now recognized as wand woods. Slowly students began filing into the room. Only nine entered before Salazar called the class to attention. These were all of his students with Merlin perched in the front.

"Now, I'm sure all of you have already noticed we have visitors. As Helga already introduced them I will not bother. Miss Selwyn i here to observe, Mr. Malfoy is here because he is in need of a new wand." Salazar's voice was cool, quiet, and quick. He student, Draco suspected, were expected to keep up or fall behind.

"Now, before we begin, someone tell me the known properties of Ebony in wand woods and what we should expect from an Ebony wand." It wasn't a question but a demand.

"Ebony wood is most suited for Transfiguration and combative magic. Ebony sings in those who have the courage to be themselves, those who hold fast to their ideals no matter what and do not sway from their purpose." It was a young woman who spoke up. A few students threw her disgruntled looks, including Merlin. If her description was accurate Hermione wasn't sure how it fit Draco at all. He wasn't particularly courageous and had blindly followed Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

"That is correct Morgan." Salazar offered no praise just the truth. "Now we have tried to find a core for this wood but it seems, so far, none are compatible. Today we will try out an untested core. The fang of a Chimaera." All the students, including Hermione to Draco's amusement, sat up a little straighter. "Tell me the dangers of this." Salazar commanded vehemently.

"Untested cores, if they suffice, are very strong entities of magic that can become almost volatile if not handled properly." Merlin was the first to speak up this time, glaring at the girl Salazar had called Morgan, though she aid him no attention. She had vivid red hair almost magenta.

"That is correct Merlin, very good." Hermione, still watching morgan, saw the girl bristle at the compliment Merlin had received. Had Salazar done it on purpose? Complimented Merlin and not Morgan?

"Now, the fang is big too big for insert inside a wand. I will shave it down to make it smallen and then the fang will be the base of Mr. Malfoy's new wand." Draco saw Hermione scribbling furiously, he glared at her curls. This was a whole new study of magic for her, territory she knew nothing about.

"Can anyone guess as to why I'm not making it into a powder to lay into the wand?" Hermione blinked, Draco looked at him in surprise. A powder form did make sense, didn't it? Wouldn't the powder be more efficient?

"A powder form of an untested core can prove treacherous. That would leave the magic in an unsustained form putting the magic in it's truest form leaving it almost uncontrollable." Morgan's voice was quiet though she had answered. Salazar nodded curtly before beginning to teach again.

"Indeed. When you grind up any magical items such as this it's essence begins to leak out so to speak. Small amounts will be our ally, such as in a wand, in mass quantities though, certain death." His ominous words didn't frighten his students though Hermione had gasped. Draco rolled his eyes, of course she'd fall for the dramatics.

"Professor." Salazar looked up at the older boy who had spoke. He nodded once, asking him to continue to speak. "Professor, what properties do you expect will emerge from the fang?"

"That is an excellent question MacMillian. I can't say for sure. I can only make guesses from similar cores I've worked with. If I had to say though, Chimaera are rare and extremely resilient creatures, almost impossible to kill. I imagine the core will reflect that resilience, strong, powerful, it will probably produce amazing curses in the wrong hands." Hermione's gaze flashed to Draco, he met it with a look of fire. Salazar had lifted the fang to his ear, eyes closed, listening calmly.

"It hums of loyalty. It's allegiance will not be won easily if ever." Salazar finished his assessment eying the fang in his hand carefully. "While I shave and shape the core one of you will do the same with the Ebony." Draco looked at Salazar in surprise. One of his students was going to make his wand? "Now, pull out your last assignment." To Draco's surprise all nine of the students began pulling out what looked like wands. Yes, they were wands. Their assignment had been to shape wood into wands. Just looking at them Draco could tell immediately who had done the best and who would be making his own wand.


	15. Chapter 15

Hermione stared in wonder looking at all the wands the students had made. A few were a little clumsy looking. Two of them looked all but flawless. The one on Morgan's desk was beautiful, light ash with an intricately carved handle. Merlin's wasn't carved like Morgan's but it was lovely, distinguished, very classic.

"Very nice choice of wood MacMillian though it is a crude construction. If we were implanting a core it would fall out. Work on that." _So they don't have cores in them, interesting. They must have just been working with wood._

"Yes, of course. Thank you Professor. I will do better." MacMillian bowed his head in shame as Salazar moved on. Hermione couldn't help but anticipate his appraisal of Morgan's wand. It was lovely, but would Salazar think so?

"I see Morgan. You have chosen Ash for your wand. Why is that?" Salazar asked looking at the detailed wood work. From where Hermione sat she could see what looked like vines and snakes crawling up the handle.

"Ash wands are fiercely loyal and lose power if taken from their owner. They produce excellent magic but falter under arrogant hands." Hermione saw Morgan glance at Merlin as she said this before looking back to Salazar.

"I see. Regardless the woodwork is beyond acceptable." Hermione seethed in her chair. Morgan deserved more than that half-cocked compliment. Morgan's was easily the most beautiful and proportional wand. Hermione kept her silence though, eyes narrowed as Salazar moved on to Merlin.

"Now Merlin, you have chosen." Salazar's brow shot up in clear surprise. "Interesting. Yew, and your reasons?"

"Yew wands, yew wood, is very rare. They make for exceptional dueling wands with an affinity for strong curses. Those best suited for yew wands are often fierce protectors. Someone to be wary of." Salazar smirked down at Merlin giving him a curt nod.

"Very good Merlin. I am impressed. Finding a yew tree from which to procure your wand must not have been an easy task. Though it could have used more design in the wood." Merlin flinched at the critique. "Though not every wand needs to be pretty." Salazar added. He gave the wand back to Merlin. "That being said, Morgan you will carve the ebony wood for Draco." The class, including Hermione despite her surprise, clapped politely.

"Thank you Professor." Morgan stood giving a bow as Salazar placed the ebony wood at her desk.

"The next hour will be passed in complete silence. I do not want the magic disturbed." Salazar commanded eying the class.

"Salazar, before you begin." Draco spoke up for the first time. Walking over to Morgan he dropped down, speaking to her quietly. Hermione didn't know what they were talking about but Morgan grinned as he finished, giving him a nod.

"Finished?" Salazar asked looking at Draco. "We need to begin." Draco nodded pushing off Morgan's desk returning to his spot. "Now. Absolute silence." Salazar reiterated. Morgan had already set to work on Draco's wand inaudible whispering spells, slowly carving the ebony wand, slimming it down though it appeared as if she were keeping it relatively long. Hermione's gaze went to Salazar, her hand flew across her parchment as she took notes.

Salazar had a deep concentration on his face. The fang was floating in the air, a bubble of magic around it. Salazar said nothing only moved his wand slowly. At first Hermione wasn't sure anything was happening, then she saw it. Small slivers of the fang peeling away in minute particles. Hermione heard it then, a faint humming emitting from the bubble. It remembered Hermione uneasily of the orb that had brought them there. One glance a Draco and Hermione knew he was having similar thoughts. Pure magic radiating in sound and light.

Hermione watched in awe over the next forty minutes as both Morgan and Salazar worked. _What the devil?_ Hermione narrowed her eyes looking at Morgan. She had split the ebony in half, her fingers, and wand working quickly. As she hand carved one piece, her wand echoed the movements perfectly on the other. Her eyes moved back to Salazar. The bubble in which he had placed the fang had begun to glow and pulse just like the orb had, though the light from the fang was a soft pink. Part of Hermione wondered if the Chimaera had been female.

The bright the glow became the more anticipation Hermione felt. She assumed Salazar knew what he was doing though it did little to cull the anxiety in her stomach. Pure magic was not something not to be trifled with.

"Salazar." The sound of Morgan's voice drew Hermione's attention. "I am ready when you are Professor." She grabbed both pieces of wood, rushing to his side quickly.

"Good, the fang is ready to be placed in the wood." This was what Hermione had been waiting for. "Now if the wood rejects the core we might have to use another wood." Salazar didn't look at Draco but Hermione felt the comment had been intended for her. Salazar moved, placing his hand in the bubble and slowly withdrawing the fang. He placed it in the groove Morgan had carved. Hermione saw Salazar visibly relax. The wood had done nothing, the core was compatible.

"Now, for the hard part." Salazar steeled himself, placing both hands on either side of the bubble. Hermione didn't know what he planned to do, then she saw it. Salazar had opened the bubble letting the glowing pink shavings fall into the wand along it's length.

"Now, Morgan, combine the two." Salazar still had his hands around the bubble, though no more shavings fell from it. As Morgan combined the two pieces of wood, she slid her wand over it whispering a spell Hermione didn't know. **Simulais**. Hermione assumed it was specific to wands. Would it have worked on Harry's wand? Was it a lost spell? The wand glowed brightly as Morgan finished, turing thrice in the air, then the glow and hum both were gone in a flash.

"It is done." Salazar looked at the wood in pride. He had bottled the remaining Chimaera essence. "Draco." He presented the wand to him. Hermione saw then, that on the handle Morgan had carved fire licking up it as well as what looked like scales. Probably, knowing Draco, Dragon scales. He seemed the type, to Hermione, to want something manly and powerful associated with his wand. Snake scales didn't even cross Hermione's mind, though it should have been her first guess.

Taking the wand, Draco gave it a whirl before pointing it at a vase. His spell was nonverbal but the vase levitated, did three somersaults and then set back down. That seemed to be what Draco wanted though as he smirked.

"Yes, this feels right. Without a wand a wizard feels defenseless. Not something anyone likes, and the carving is quite beautiful." Morgan blushed under Draco's compliments.

"Thank you Professor Malfoy. I hope it's to your liking. I tried to capture the look of the Chimaera scales like you asked." she stammered, her face only growing more red. Chimaera scales? Hermione hadn't considered that. They did have dragon tails, begrudgingly Hermione admitted to herself that it was rather fitting.

"You've done well." Draco told her, a smooth tone in his voice that made Morgan giggle. The smile on his face, though slight, Hermione knew it was because Morgan had giggled. It bothered Hermione. He was a teacher here! He wasn't supposed to be flirting with the students even if Morgan was probably seventeen.

"Now class, in two days time we will be back here for your next session. In that time I want you all to study the Chmaeras' body. It is preserved in the dungeons. I expect a foot of parchment on it and I want you to propose a new material for wand core." The class nodded taking their assignments and exiting the room. Mogan had shot one last look at Draco before she left.

"That was amazing, really. I knew a lot went into making wands but that was phenomenal." Hermione breathed, only she Salazar and Draco had remained in the class. Draco, who now looked quite annoyed at Hermione's presence clicked his tongue. "Is it always like that?" Hermione asked clutching her notes.

"Is it always like what Miss Selwyn?" Salazar seemed to be in a better mood and wasn't short with her to Draco's displeasure.

"The humming magic, the lights, all of it." Hermione's eyes were bright, cheeks flushed, she looked truly excited. In that moment Draco couldn't help but find her kind of pretty. Ugh. No. Granger? Pretty? That just didn't make sense.

"That depends on the strength of the core." Draco didn't know why, perhaps the apt way Hermione listened, but salazar went on. "All cores have magical properties some are simply stronger than others. A kneazle hair will work and the witch or wizard might be strong but put a stronger cored wand in their hands like Draco's and they will produce stronger spells. Not to say the wand makes the wizard stronger but it will make the spells match the power of the wizard.

"I see. So even if you put a powerful wand in the hands of a child the spells will only be as strong as he is. That makes sense. Do you think that a wizard or witch can grow to become more powerful than their original wand?" The pure shock on Salazar's face made hermione looked at him worried. Had she said something wrong? Asked a personal question without knowing it?

"You know, I have thought that very thing is possible." Draco rolled his eyes as Salazar spoke. He knew that look, the look when teachers began to fall for Hermione's intelligence. As the two talked, Draco left the room unnoticed.

"Not only their power but do you think that a drastic change in personality might warrant a new wand?" Hermione asked. "How would one know when it's time for a new wand?"

"Yes, I do. When people change suddenly, completely, in a lot of ways their magic changes too. Sometimes for the better, sometimes to where they can't produce magic with that wand at all. When the magic in a wand begins to waiver, I think most people suspect it's time for a new wand." It made sense, Ron's magic got better in their third year, not exponentially, but better. He had gotten a new wand, one that chose him and wasn't gifted to him.

"It is all very interesting. It's a shame that more students don't have the aptitude to study it." Hermione mused, looking over the notes she had taken.

"Indeed the ability to procure a wand, to feel the pull of cores and wand wood is not something just anyone can do." Salazar had begun to study her face carefully as they spoke. "I feel I may have misjudged you Miss Selwyn. Forgive me." His sudden apology caught Hermione off guard but she softened easily.

"Worry not Salazar." Hermione smiled. "I think we have all done the same thing at least once. It's part of human nature I suppose." Something about his gaze made Hermione edge away, the more she thought about misjudging someone the more uneasy she felt. "I think I have to be going now." She suddenly felt the urge to apologize to Draco. He might have changed and she was still treating him like he was that eleven year old brat from her past. "I'll see you at dinner Salazar, perhaps with more questions."

"Any questions of yours dear lady I'd be happy to answer." Smiling from ear to ear Hermione left the classroom looking for Draco to apologize. Rounding the corridor she found him standing there waiting, a pensive and brooding look on his face.

"Draco." Hermione had almost run into him.

"Granger." The cold in his voice and use of her name caught Hermione off guard. He turned to face her, his expression dark. "Tell me. How does it feel?" Hermione could sense he was trying to remain calm.

"How does what feel?" hermione felt breathless, her heart beginning to beat erratically. She had never been afraid of him before but as he stepped toward her, new wand in his hand, she was afraid. Surely he wouldn't attack her, not in the middle of the day, at Hogwarts!

"How does it feel knowing that even centuries in the past you're still the teachers pet?" He stepped into her space, forcing her back to the cold, hard, stone wall. Hermione stared up at him, her brown eyes wide blinking in confusion. "Tell me!" He demanded his voice rising making Hermione flinch. His eyes looked almost silver in their animosity. Hermione felt her bottom lip tremble as his wand touched her. Why couldn't she move? She had faced worse. She had faced Bellatrix!

"I love it." Hermione bit out grasping at her own anger to remain strong. She wasn't weak. He wasn't going to intimidate her simply because he was bigger and taller. "I love being the most clever person in the room." She added her eyes narrowing.

"Damn it woman." Draco's free fist pounded into the wall beside her, though it sounded soft, as it he had used the meaty part of his hand and not his knuckles. "You irritate me so fucking much." He had one arm beside her head now, and his wand still touching her stomach through her dress. "Why do you have to be better than everyone?"

"I don't have to be better." Hermione argued vehemently his chocolate gazing meeting his silver. "I just am and if you don't like it - " Hermione's words were cut off as Draco pushed into her space fully. "Stop it." She stuttered not liking the way he was looking over her face.

"You're so annoying." He spat and then, before Hermione could blink, Draco pressed his lips to her hard almost bruising them. Hermione didn't know what to do, she stood there frozen, eyes open staring at his face. His brow was furrowed and he looked as if he were contemplating a hard decision. Draco tore away from Hermione glaring at her for a moment moment. "Go bother someone else." He told her darkly. Not knowing what else to do, still in shock, Hermione slipped out from his arm and all but ran back to her own quarters.


	16. Chapter 16

Hermione didn't know why but as she made it back to her quarters, breathing hard, back against the portrait, she was crying. Damn him! What the hell had he gone and done that for? It's not like it had been a good kiss or it was something Hermione had EVER thought about. Maybe there was one time, during their Fourth year. No. That had simply been the yule Ball and a lot of butterbeer. Besides his half-assed compliment then didn't excuse his behavior now.

Hermione had wanted to see if the Room of Requirement was part of the castle's original architecture but now she found that all she wanted to do was stay in her room until dinner. She didn't even want to go down for lunch, because the possibility to see Draco was there.

"There is plenty to do here after all." Hermione said to herself. "Research to be done, more lessons to be planned." Hermione nodded moving to her desk, looking at the scroll she had been reading the day before, she chewed her lip. Part of her wanted to go back to reading it. While it had been interesting she found herself looking through her beaded bag.

Pulling out Hogwarts, A History and Newt Scamander's Magical Beasts and Where to Find them Hermione frowned at both books. Thumbing through them slowly Hermione wasn't sure what she was looking for, not until she found it.

"Well damn." There wasn't a lot of information on the Chimaera before, Hermione knew but there was more information now. The date that they had slayed the Chimaera, as long as the means. What little bit of information that had been added didn't matter, what Hermione feared was that as Salazar studied the Chimaera that would change.

"Double damn." Hermione slammed the book closed move to her other one searching it quickly. She was afraid of what she might find. "Nothing yet." Hermione sighed feeling a weight lift off her chest. So far there was nothing in Hogwarts, a History about her or Draco being teachers. Maybe they wouldn't stay long enough to make an deeper impact. If they didn't stay too long it might never get recorded or it would be lost information over time.

Hermione knew she needed to go talk to Draco about everything new written, but he had thrown her for a huge loop. Why the hell had he kissed her? He didn't even like her! He probably did it just to mess with her head, to fluster her. Why? She didn't know and she'd confront him about it later, next time she saw him. Maybe. Not at the moment of course, she had research. Yes, she had research to do and that's what she'd do.

Hermione didn't want to go and speak with Draco, even if she needed to because of the change they had made to history. They couldn't un-kill the Chimaera, that much was certain. Hermione wasn't sure how the study of such a creature would affect the future, chewing her lip she pinched the bridge of her nose. This was definitely a pain. If anything it would save a few lives but if those lives decided it would be best to take lives. This was a headache she hadn't been prepared for.

That wasn't the only thing that was bothering her though. If Merlin was here, at Hogwarts why wasn't Morgana? There wasn't anything that said she had studied at Hogwarts Hermione had always just made the assumption that she had. True the witch was older than Merlin, from what Hermione had read about she was six years older than Merlin. Maybe she hadn't wanted to join the school? The girl would be seventeen, maybe eighteen depending on the month she was born.

Other than the little bit of information that was on Chocolate Frog cards, there wasn't a whole lot known about Morgana. As far as Hermione knew there wasn't even a record of her death. It was said that she was an animagus, with the ability to take the form of a bird. Most people thought it to be a crow specifically. Hermione rubbed her forehead. She didn't know why it was bothering her, but it was.

It didn't matter why it was bothering her, the fact that it was made Hermione dig through her bag again. This time she pulled out 'Famous Witches and Wizards through the Ages'. It was a revised edition, as it had Harry's triumph over Voldemort in it. Hermione looked at the book fondly, a dull ache in her chest. Both Harry and Ron had made fun of her for buying it.

"You don't need a book to tell you what happened Hermione, you lived it!" Ron had laughed. Tears pricked at Hermione's eyes. Even though her and Ron had been fighting she missed him. The ache in her chest suddenly turned to guilt. Things had been different between her and Ron lately, but for her to be flirting with Godric so shamelessly.

"But you don't love Ron anymore, at least not like that." Hermione whispered to herself, clutching the book to her chest. The tears had slid down her cheek hotly. It didn't matter that she wasn't IN love with him anymore. Ron didn't know that. Though, he might. Ron surprised Hermione like that often. He was more intuitive than anyone gave him credit for, including himself. Ron cared, he had a heart of gold. He'd been the whole reason Mrs. Weasley had ever known that Harry's family treated him like garbage, that she had sent him Christmas and birthday presents, because Ron cared.

There was just something about Godric though that drew her in. God Rita Skeeter would have a field day about how Hermione liked 'famous' wizards. Hermione couldn't care less about how famous someone was. She had never looked at Harry that way despite what many witches had thought. Hermione shook her head. She wasn't here to think about guys! She really did have research she needed to do. To prove the point to herself, Hermione wiped her cheek and opened her book.

"Morgana, the older half-sister of Arthur. Born in the middle age sometime after 962 Morgana is a known dark witch as was famous for her healing abilities and her self-transfiguration, now known as 'Animagus'. It is believed that Morgana's animagus was that of a crow. As a dark witch and enemy of Merlin, most people know that in her youth she went by the name of Morgan Le Fay."

Oh, oh, oh. Hermione had forgotten that. Morgan's face, the way she looked at Merlin, it flashed in Hermione's mind. Had the rivalry already begun? But why? Was it because Merlin was younger than her and quite talented? Remember the way Salazar had treated Morgan, Hermione chewed her lips. Did all the teachers treat her like that? Did they all favor Merlin? Putting her books back in her bag Hermione set off. She knew just who to ask and who would give her an honest answer.

After going down to the dungeons, Hermione found Helga in the classroom that she had taken Defense Against the Dark Arts as a student. Helga was in the middle of a class, Hermione didn't recognize the potion, or the room really. Part of her couldn't help but think more people would have paid attention in potions if the room had been more light and open like this one instead of dark and gloomy.

Helga nodded as Hermione as she sat in the back quietly. Looking over the instructions for the potion, Hermione found that it didn't look terribly difficult but many of the ingredients she didn't recognize. Wormswart, Kingsfoil, Athelas, they must have been ancient herbs long since extinct.

"I'm guessing by the look in your eye that you have some questions for me." Helga beckoned Hermione into her office where she began carefully examining the vials of potion that had been handed in to her. "So tell me, what's the matter?" Helga put down a putrid green one, setting it as far from her as she could. Hermione didn't blame her. She had been potions explode before.

"Well, as you know, I sat in on Salazar's class today."

"I'm sorry if he said anything. Salazar isn't the most social creature and doesn't quite understand all the fine nuances of being polite." Helga rubbed her forehead.

"Oh, no. It's nothing like that." Hermione said quickly sitting down opposite of Helga. "It's not about Salazar at all, it's actually about a student."

"You you, you'd think by now I'd learn to not leap to conclusions and have a little bit of patience." The women smiled at each other. "Which student caught your eye?"

"Morgan. She did exceptional work this morning. I was wondering if you could tell me more about her." Helga blinked.

"That's certainly a surprise. I was expecting you to ask about Merlin and his ability to change his appearance." Helga looked thoughtful for a moment. "Morgan is as you said, exceptional. One of the first students we had. Morgan doesn't talk about her family much, though I know she has a younger brother. She is the number two student in every class since the arrival of Merlin. She has a competitive spirit that girl."

"I see." Hermione was glad that Helga's voice sounded warm as she spoke about her. "Does she show any particular talent for one subject above the rest? Which House is she in?" Hermione had always assumed, because she was a dark witch, Morgan was in Slytherin.

"Morgan is in Gryffindor though Rowena and myself did try for her. From what I've seen and heard, she excels at Transfiguration the most. You might not think it, but Godric is a tough teacher. He truly expects nothing less than perfection." The initial shock of hearing Morgan was in Gryffindor hit Hermione at the core. Gryffindor! But she was a dark witch. She could see why it wasn't printed anywhere. The Founder's probably hadn't wanted to take responsibility for teaching Morgana.

"Transfiguration eh? Has she shown any unique talents in that field?" The question was innocent enough but from the sharp way Helga looked at her, Hermione knew she hadn't fooled her. Not by a long shot.

"What exactly are you asking?" Helga asked, Hermione knew beating around the bush wouldn't cut it. She had to be direct.

"Has Morgan successfully learn to self-transfigure into an animal?" Hermione could feel the tension, she had stepped on a touching subject.

"No, not net." Helga was studying Hermione an unreadable expression on her face. "Godric teachers a very elite class once a moon. Showing the class, of which there is only two, how to self-transfigure. What I'm more interested to know is how you came to have such a specific question Hermione." The two women regarded each other in silence for what seemed to be an eternity.

"I'm going to level with you but what I'm going to say has to stay between you and me." Hermione saw no way around it and not utilizing Helga's intelligence would be beyond stupid.

"I would say that it will need to remain between the three of us." Hermione looked up at Draco's voice. He leaned on the door frame casually but the look on his face was anything but casual. "Hermione could I have a word?" Draco shoved off the door not waiting on her answer. Hermione gave Helga an apologetic smile stiffly following Draco.

"Are you following me now?" Hermione hissed making sure to keep her distance and her back to an open space. She didn't want a repeat of last time.

"You wish." Draco scoffed. "I came to borrow a few potions ingredients for my class Monday and what do I hear? You about to blab our secret." Hermione glowered up at Draco, her arms crossed tightly. "What the hell are you thinking? Or have you finally lost your mind from the weight of that bush you call hair?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Can't you think of a better insult? Besides think about it. We are in the dark here. If anyone can help us it's her." Hermione needed him to see reason. They needed someone's help and Helga seemed like the natural choice.

"If this goes south we will be the ones who suffer." He was capable of seeing reason! "That will be on you." Again Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Fine, fine. It will be all my fault. Can we go talk to her now?" Hermione didn't want to be alone with him.

"Fine. Now, about earlier-."

"Save it. I don't want to hear it. We have bigger problems right now than your sadistic nature." Hermione walked away from him, stalking into Helga's office, sitting in a huff. As Draco joined her, closing the door, Helga eyed them both.

"Ready to tell me what's going on now?" She asked calmly.

"Yes, I just need you to keep in mind that we are putting a lot, our lives, on the line by telling you this." Helga arched a brow at Hermione's words.

"Quit with the dramatics and get on with it." Draco growled.

"She needs to be aware of the severity of this situation Draco, it's not to be taken lightly." Hermione replied almost as savagely. Helga cleared her throat drawing their attention.

"Why don't you just tell me what's happening?" She suggested a small smile on her face though a touch of impatience hit her brow.

"Alright." Hermione breathed. "It is a very long and complicated story but Draco and I, we aren't from here. I mean, we aren't from this time. We are actually from over a thousand years in the future."


	17. Chapter 17

Hermione stared at Helga, her mouth feeling very dry as she finished talking. Helga hadn't interrupted her, though Draco had adding tidbits here and there as Hermione explained how they had come to be in the past. Finally Helga rested her hands on the top of her desk, looking at the two of them severely.

"You do realize that this is a lot to not only take it, but it's a lot to believe on what little evidence you've given me. Time travel. Time magic. These things are quite beyond any magic I've seen and I've seen impressive magic in my time." Helga spoke carefully. Hermione felt desperate. If Helga turned them away they were in serious trouble.

"We can provide proof if that's what you need. There isn't an exact way for us to prove it but I can offer this." Hermione pulled the tiny locket she wore off her neck, placed an enlargement charm on it before passing it to Helga. Inside there was a picture of her, Ron, and Harry as they graduated Hogwarts, throwing their hats in the air in happiness. The picture was moving, Hermione hoped it sufficed.

"This is certainly exemplary magic but how is this proving that you aren't touched in the head?"

"I'm sure you don't see it now, but that is me and my two closest friends graduating from Hogwarts." Helga's eyes widened as she looked back at the picture. "If you look closely you'll see the Hogwarts crest on our robes."

"Yes, I see that now but we haven't even." Helga laughed leaning back in her seat, still holding the locket. "We haven't decided on a crest yet though I guess I know what we decide." Helga handed the locket back to Hermione who shrunk and tucked it away beneath her dress.

"Now for the obvious question. From everything you have told me we need to get you home before the time line is too messed up. What happens if we can't do that?" Hermione had been asking herself that same thing all week.

"If we are unable to return to our time Hermione and I will begin traveling to other lands, searching for the answer to figure out a way to utilize the magic without the help of Hogwarts." Hermione blinked looking at Draco. He had answered so confidently. It hadn't occurred to her that it had been weighing on him too.

"I see, of course. This book that helped you learn about this magic. I take it that it's not available yet?" Helga was handling the news as well as Hermione imagined she would.

"It won't be published for another twenty years or so. From there it is only made into ten books. Seven of which will be destroyed in a murder attempt on the author's life. At least, that's what was handwritten in the book I had. It had been a warning." Hermione felt hollow. Twenty years? They could be stuck here for another twenty years?

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" Hermione demanded hotly. "Don't you think that's something I would like to know? Or are you trying to make sure that we stay here?"

"I knew how you would react! Besides it's twenty years from now. Do you really want to wait that long on a book that might, at best, only point us in a direction? We don't have access to all the same things here." His face screamed annoyance, the vein in his head beginning to pound.

"A direction is better than stabs in the dark Malfoy."

"Not if it only gives us false hope Granger. False hope that leads us further from where we need to be." Draco had slammed his fist into the arm of his chair.

"Enough." Helga's stern voice cut in sharply. "Fighting will get you nowhere. You came here for help now let me help. I need the name of the author and I need time. Give me eight days. If I'm right I may very well have a lead for you." Already? Helga's connections and knowledge was amazing.

"The only name on the book, the only word on the cover actually was Pazuzu." Draco's tone was still bitter as he held back his anger.

"Well then, that's something specific. We can look for it. It will help. Until we meet like this again I suggest the two of you begin working your problems out and researching what you can." Helga stared at Draco. "That means working together and not keeping any secrets." Hermione sniffed indignantly at Draco who only glared at her in response.

"I'll play nice as long as she does." Draco grumbled to Hermione's surprise. He was giving in so quickly? Not even putting up a night?

"I will do the best I can." Hermione replied under Helga's gaze. Helga sighed, almost as if accepting that was the best she was going to get.

"Right then you will need a place to keep your research and any experiments we might conduct private. On the seventh floor in the left corridor you will find a room but only if-"

"You walk past it three times with need of it?" Draco smirked at Helga's expression. She hadn't been expecting him to know what she was talking about. "We both have experience with the room."

"I guess you really are from the future." Helga sounded impressed. "I think that room would be perfect then yes."

"We can place a specific object in there so no one else stumbles upon it." Hermione wouldn't be outshone by Draco. "Something from our time, something that only the three of us know about would be best."

"Excellent idea Hermione. Do you have anything in mind? Perhaps the necklace you showed me?" Hermione frowned, the necklace was a good idea. It didn't reveal too much of the future to Helga but that meant parting with it, her only reminder of Ron and Harry in this time zone.

"We can place my journal in there." Draco had been studying Hermione, the sad look on her face. "It has a charm placed on it that won't be invented for a long while."

"Thank you. . .Draco. I'm sure that will work fine." Hermione said quietly touching the locket beneath her dress.

"Perfect. That's settled then. Now you two go and arrange the room. I need to consult a few of my scrolls and write a letter." Helga waved them off. Draco shot up, out of his chair all but sprinting from the room as she excused them.

"Helga. I have one more question if you don't mind." Helga nodded for Hermione to continue, she had already begun writing the letter she spoke of. "Well, how did you do it? How was the room's magic infused in it? It's almost sentient, able to procure anything you think of save for food." Helga stopped writing.

"You're very intuitive, it never ceases to amaze me. It's because it is sentient in a way." Hermione gaped at her. "When Rowena designed the castle we took one of the rooms and embedded quite a lot of magic into it. All of us, also, well not Salazar, put some of our own essence into it." The Room of Requirement was a horcrux?!

"You guys split your souls to make a sentient room?" Helga, Godric, and Rowena, had each killed someone to make a room more magical?

"Split our souls? Heavens no." Helga looked protruded. "That's not even possible Hermione. That would put a person in so much danger. We used our essence, our life force. It might have taken about twenty years off our lives but it's worth it to help all future students."

"Your life force but how is that possible? How could you do something like that?" The room was part of them all? No wonder the magic was so great, the room could all but walk and talk.

"It was a very dangerous potion I developed and Godric came up with the spell. Neither of us know the other, and Rowena knows neither. We had no intention for someone else to be able to replicate it. It almost killed us all, we were weak for over a moon."

"I can see why you wouldn't want anyone else to attempt it." Hermione couldn't imagine what would happen if power like that fell into the wrong hands. If Voldemort had known about it, he wouldn't have hesitated to twist it and use it to take the life force of others.

"Was there anything else you wanted to talk about right now?"

"No, not right now. Thank you." Hermione left Helga to her letter, a lot on her mind. Leaving the classroom Hermione saw morgan looking perplexed heading toward what Hermione assumed, was the library.

"Morgan, how are you?" Hermione asked interrupting the girl's thoughts.

"Professor Selwyn, my apologies, I didn't see you there." Morgan bowed to her respectfully. "Did you need something Professor?"

"No, no. Don't worry about that. I'm glad I found you. I wanted to commend you on the work you did on Draco's wand. It was truly a piece of art. Do you have time to walk me to my quarters?" This was a tactic Hermione had seen Dumbledore use often to have polite, though often probing, conversations with students.

"Of course I can always go to the library after." Hermione wasn't positive but she thought Morgan was happy at the fact that Hermione wanted to talk to her. "I'm excited to be taking Ancient Runes and Magical Creatures." Morgan couldn't have been older than seventeen Hermione decided looking at her.

"Do you like learning Morgan?" Hermione asked smiling at her. "I know that I did when I was younger. I still do." Hermione didn't want to patronize her with something like 'when I was your age' as Hermione was barely older than her.

"I do Professor! I'm sure you know a lot. To be a teacher at your age, it's quite impressive." Hermione didn't feel as if Morgan was trying to butter her up, the words felt genuine.

"I probably still have a lot to learn." Hermione said humbly. "I also hear that you have a gift for Transfiguration."

"Oh," Morgan blushed. "Thank you. I don't know who told you that but, well, yes. I am good at Transfiguration."

"I also hear that Merlin beats you in every subjects." Hermione knew the statement would sting but it would help her see what she was curious about. Morgan's response was immediate.

"That arrogant brat. He is good at magic but he cuts corners. Doesn't do things exactly as instructed and gets praised for it. If I tried to do something like that I'd be thrown in the dungeons for a week."

"Is that why you think he beats you?" Hermione asked thinking of Harry and the Prince's, Snape's, old Potions book. She could relate to the way Morgan was feeling, that much was for sure.

"I think so, that and all the teachers favor him, except the Headmistress. Professor Salazar more than the others though because Merlin is in his house." Morgan's voice and face were moody, like a sullen teenager.

"I've known guys like that." Draco. "You know what I've found though, if you clear your mind and don't let them get to you," They had stopped at Hermione's rooms. ", You'll prevail over them in time. You might not think so right away, but you will. Trust me."

"You really think so?" Morgan asked, Hermione nodded. "Thanks Professor." Morgan hugged her for a moment before dashing toward the library. Hermione smiled watching Morgan skip off, new passion in her step. She couldn't help but see a lot of herself in Morgan. Clapping made Hermione blink she hadn't even seen Draco walk up to her.

"So that's how you excelled is it? Hard work and determination?" Hermione hated that smug look on his face. Hermione sniffed at him, turning her nose up.

"Not that I expect you to understand, after all who needs good grades when you're a Malfoy. But yes, that's how I did it." Hermione glared at him, a blush creeping up on her cheeks. He didn't need to look so smug and handsome at the same time. _Handsome? What the hell? Get a grip Hermione. Draco Malfoy is not handsome._

"Did you need something or are you here to bother me for the fun of it?" Hermione was irritated with herself.

"I came to tell you the phrase to get you into the room. Bothering you is just a plus." He grinned at her devilishly. Hermione waved her hand, urging him on. She wanted to be done with him until dinner time at least. "In private. We don't need anyone overhearing." Hermione huffed.

"Fine, fine. Whatever come in. Kneazle." Hermione didn't like the idea of Draco coming into her quarters looking at her stuff, probably making fun of her for her stuff. She didn't need to give him more material to work with.

"Wow, Didn't know you had any taste in you Granger." Hermione threw him a glare though Draco wasn't looking at her but at her desk.

"We aren't here to discuss my taste. Tell me the phrase to get into the room and get out of here."

"What's the matter Granger? Afraid to be alone with me?" Hermione clicked her tongue in annoyance. "I only kissed you to shut you up you know." Hermione's eyes all but popped out of her head. She did NOT want to talk about that. Rolling her eyes to gain her composure she gathered the scrolls on her desk, giving Draco her back.

"If you call that a kiss." Hermione muttered furiously shoving the scrolls on to the bookcase.

 **A/N: I love all of your reviews! Thank you guys so much. Sometimes they really help me pump out chapters. There are two Easter Eggs, kind of, in this chapter. If you spot them let me know!**


	18. Chapter 18

Granger. Fucking Granger. It was always her. Perfect, know it all Granger. Draco watched as Salazar, in his own sort of creepy way, began to admire the girl as she asked all the right questions. Draco glowered at the two for a few minutes before leaving. He didn't want to watch her suck up to him anymore. In the back of his head the pounding had begun, ever so lightly. Maybe it was his anger, maybe it was the brewing headache but Draco didn't go up to his room like he had planned, instead he stayed in the corridor.

He hadn't been expecting Hermione to all but walk into him. He didn't know what possessed him, maybe the shiny look in her eyes, or the smile on her face. Gods he couldn't stand her. Why did she have to look so happy? She was having a perfect time. Not a care in the world. After all, he had saved her from the brunt of the magical explosion. She hadn't suffered from the headaches like he was. Draco was barely in control of himself as he spoke to her.

What the hell had he been thinking? Draco put his fist to the wall in front of him as soon as Granger slipped out from beneath his arms. Kissing Granger? He knew why he did it. Not that she would understand. Her voice was so grating. He already had a headache brewing, having to listen to her voice only made it worse. God didn't she know how annoying she could be? He had just wanted to shut her up. Why he had done it by kissing her, Draco didn't know.

Not to mention the look on her face. She had actually been frightened of him. Normally that would have made Draco happy but, girls weren't supposed to look terrified like that after you kissed them. Like you'd do something. . .

"Befitting a Malfoy." The words tasted bitter in his mouth. His family, really his Aunt Bellatrix but, his family had done truly horrible things to her a few years ago. She probably thought he had no problem taking what he wanted. Draco was no rapist and he had women that begged to be kissed by him! He hadn't even meant to kiss her. So the hell did it bother him that she had look more terrified than a gazelle at the watering hole?

"Damn headache." Draco pinched the bridge of his nose. It was getting worse again. Stumbling to his quarters Draco took the last of the potion he had put together with some rudimentary ingredients and skill he made when he and Hermione had been camping waiting for him to heal. There wasn't much left, just enough to take the edge off for a little while. It would only be good for a little while though. It didn't have boomslang skin in it, so it wasn't as powerful as it needed to be.

Sitting on one of the chairs in the dark, Draco didn't even notice his breathing had labored until it eased in his chest. The tight feeling dissipating. He would need to brew a better potion. This time he'd need boomslang skin. Slowly the drumming in his head stopped. It wouldn't be long before it started again though. There was only one place in the school he was going to get the ingredients he needed and that was with Helga.

Draco had done the same thing as Hermione had, gone down to the dungeons to the Potions room he knew. Unlike Hermione he didn't wander around until he found her. Instead Draco sighed.

"Elf. I need a House Elf." He knew that Helga had been the one to originally put House Elves to work in Hogwarts. Despite what Hermione thought, he had read Hogwarts A, History. Hell he had read it before even starting Hogwarts. The benefit of not being a muggleborn like Hermione. Just as he thought, calling out for one worked.

"Yes sir, how can I help you sir?" The elf appeared, bowing low it's carrot shaped not touching the ground. Draco assumed it had been working nearby, at least nearby enough to hear him call out for it.

"Elf, can you tell me where I can find the Headmistresses classroom? I need to speak with her." Draco didn't have any particular love for House elves, though he didn't hate them like his Father did. Though it would surprise most people, Draco didn't like the idea of any being hurting itself because they didn't serve their master to the fullest. The elf popped up at once, almost saluting him.

"Yes sir, her classroom is one the third room in the Serpentine Corridor sir. Mistress Helga should be there until dinner time sir. After that you will find her in the Headmistresses office. Does sir need anything else? I is needing to go back to cleaning sir."

"That is all, thank you." The elf bowed again before disappearing. So, she was in their old Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom eh? That was certainly interesting. Part of Draco wondered when they moved it to the dungeons. He always thought the atmosphere down there was perfect for Potions. That wasn't up to him though, instead of mulling over it, Draco made his way back up to the third floor.

Draco was almost positive that Helga would have all the ingredients that he needed. As he arrived at her classroom, the blond was surprised to see that it was empty. Then he heard the voices. Silver eyes rolled in irritation. Of course Granger was there. She was the plague upon the Earth that was bound to annoy him at every chance she got, even if it was pure coincidence. Draco had intended to walk away, then he caught what was being said.

 _That little bitch! She's going to tell Helga that we're from the future._ It was that thought that lead Draco to interrupt. Twenty minutes later, as Hermione went about a long winded explanation, Draco's headache was already trying to come back. He felt it deep in the recess of his head, he had to listen to her much longer, he would kill her. Then, by his luck, he was free. But he wasn't really. He needed to put his journal in the Room of Requirement.

 _I need a place to look at my journal and practice time magic. I need a place to look at my journal and practice time magic. I need a place to look at my journal and practice time magic._ Before he could finish thinking the last sentence fully, the door had already begun to appear. That familiar silver door. A little hesitant, Draco opened the door. He wasn't sure what he would find inside.

The room had appeared to be of moderate size, with desks, bookcases, a giant cauldron rivaling the size he had used, different potion ingredients, and in the corner of the room a huge hourglass though there was no sand in it. The fact that there was no sand in it perplexed Draco. What was the point of it if there was no sand in it? He didn't know. Placing his journal on one of the almost empty bookcases,

Draco looked at the potion ingredients in the room. None of them were what he needed. So he'd still have to go talk with Helga. Draco didn't know why but even as he walked down toward Helga's classroom, he found himself once more hearing Hermione's voice. _You might as well tell her the phrase while you can._ Draco grumbled to himself. That didn't mean he couldn't take a moment to bother her at the same time. After all she was always bothering him.

Did Granger just challenge him to give her a kiss? The look on her face. God the woman drove him crazy. Why did she have to be so nerve wracking? Why did she get under his skin so completely like this?

"If you wanted a real kiss all you had to do is ask Granger. You don't have to goad one out of me." He smirked, despite the pounding in his head growing. The fire in her eyes when she got riled up. Draco had first noticed it in their third year, he was used to a shift hand to keep him in line as a child he hadn't expected it from her. Not from Granger who held back her friends.

"When I want to be kissed you'll know it." She fired back. Draco could have laughed. She really did just fall into these little jokes sometimes. Fall the intelligence Granger had, she was real dumb sometimes.

"So that means you'll tell me when you want me to kiss you? Perfect. I prefer direct women." He enjoyed teasing her, especially when she gaped, her eyes all but popping out of her head. He waited, a brow arched as she grasped for words, a witty comeback. He could see she was failing.

"What happened to not wanting a mudblood touching you?" Ah logic. Her greatest defense. Hermione looked like she was getting frustrated, as she should be.

"No, you're quite right." Draco agreed shrugging his shoulders as if his head didn't feel like it wanted to explode. "I don't want mudblood stink on me but I'll make an exception, after all you're so cute when you're mad." The word had left his mouth before he could stop it. She seemed to think it sarcasm though and snarled at him.

"Tell me the phrase and get out of here Malfoy." Oh he had gotten under her skin alright. She had overlooked his use of the word 'cute' but Draco hadn't. He didn't think she was cute. Well, maybe when she got worked up like this, when we mouth set in an angry pout and her eyes glowed brightly. Maybe then. For a mudblood.

"I need a place to look at Draco's journal and practice time magic. Need to write it down?" Hermione shook her head. "Good and Granger, I never took shortcuts with my studies and my Father never accepted me coming in second to you." He didn't know why he felt the need to set that straight but he did. He knew the look on her face would be priceless but he didn't stop to see it. His head ached and he still needed that potion. Since arriving in the past Draco had been having these headaches that made him want to drown. Rubbing his temples Draco headed back to Helga's classroom finally.

"Headmistress I came here to ask if you had a few potion ingredients I could have." Draco knocked on her door but hadn't waited for her answer before entering.

"What do you need the ingredients for?" Helga already looked more tired than she had before when they had talked. "Headache? You can go to our healer for a simple headache remedy."

"It won't work for this headache. I need very distinct ingredients to brew in with it. Lavender, chameleon eyes, firecrab eggs, and boomslang skin. If you have enough to spare it'll last me a good three days before I'll need another potion." The ringing hadn't started yet but Draco knew it would, just as it had the night had only been able to stop it with two bottles of wine.

"Is this a side effect to the orb bringing you here?" Helga moved to her store cupboard looking for the ingredients. "Have they been increasing in frequency?" Draco had to hand it to her, the woman was sharp. Sharper than any Hufflepuff he had ever met, then again she was THE Hufflepuff.

"They started our second day here. They appear to be coming on earlier in the day now though." Draco admitted taking the ingredients.

"Why do you think these particular ingredients are going to help? I might be able to brew you a more lasting solution." Helga suggested looking at him carefully, it made Draco uneasy.

"I think it's backlash from the magic hitting me when I saved Gr- Hermione from the blast. I think they will work because they are some of the ingredients I've used before and I put them in the original potion I brewed to try and stop the orb." Draco had a hunch that adding the boomslang skin would help cull the ache, if they were because of the magical backlash at least.

"Well if you decide you want me to try and brew you a more lasting potion just let me know." Helga looked worried for him and Draco didn't like it.

"Yeah, I'll give you a list of the ingredients I used." The ringing had started. Draco needed darkness, that and to choke down the rancid tea he was going to make just so he could focus enough to brew his potion.


	19. Chapter 19

Hermione noticed Draco hadn't come to dinner, though she didn't want to notice. She wasn't alone though. All the teachers had noticed his absence. Hermione didn't know where his room was but if he was up in the Room of Requirement working without her! He'd hear about it. Hermione had every intention of eating quickly and heading up to the seventh floor and see for herself. Godric though had no intention of letting her slip away quietly, or quickly.

"I heard that you enjoyed Salazar's class this morning. I'd ask if you wanted to sit in on my class but it's the weekend and Monday you start your own classes." Godric sounded a little put out though Hermione saw he was smiling at her.

"Oh, don't be a sour puss Godric. If it caught your interest you could always go watch one of her little classes." It was decided. "Ancient Runes though not exactly your style." Hermione really didn't like Rowena Ravenclaw and she was very glad that the sorting hat had chosen Gryffindor in the end. The woman was all petty and spite, over a man!

"You know that's not a bad idea Rowena. Studying a thing like Ancient Runes isn't me but how am I to grow if I only ever do things that I'm comfortable doing?" The smile he gave Hermione was a charming one but it was his words that made her blush.

"After all a wizard is only as good as the knowledge he knows anything else can be used against him." Not an exact quote but close enough for her to receive a cold glare from Rowena. "Isn't that what you said?"

"No, she said the unknown can be used against you." There she was again interjecting rudely. Did she think that would make Godric stop noticing Hermione? It wouldn't. Men like Godric weren't easily swayed from their paths.

"I got the basics right. That's what matters though right?" Godric gave Hermione a wink, gosh the mad had cheek!

"I think you're right. Getting the basics right is what matters." Hermione half said it just to irritate Rowena. Hermione could almost feel the daggers in Rowena's eyes. Seeing the pure happy smile on Godric's face, Hermione felt the smallest tug of guilt. She wasn't trying to use Godric.

"Hermione would you honor me with a nighttime stroll after dinner?" Godric's request took her by surprise though it shouldn't have. He said he was going to court her after all.

"Godric, you intend to go walk with this young woman without a chaperone for her?" Rowena actually sounded offended.

"Rowena is right Godric. A young lady should not walk around at night with a chaperone. People might get the wrong idea." To Hermione's surprise Helga spoke up. "Draco do you think, as Hermione's friend you could chaperone?" Hermione hadn't seen draco slip in, but then again she had been purposely keeping her gaze away from Rowena until then. Draco didn't look as if he wanted to be bothered in the least. His gaze caught Hermione's, the disgruntled look on her face, and a slow devious smile spread across his.

"I think you're quite right Headmistress. Hermione should have a chaperone and I wouldn't be an honorable man if I, as her friend, didn't offer my services." Oh he was a bastard!

"Excellent. I will see you both in the Great Hall in a few. It's been a little chilly you should get your travelling cloaks. Don't want anyone getting sick." Godric clapped smiling.

"Well, I guess I'll go fetch my cloak then." Hermione excused herself, feeling resigned. Shooting Helga a glare, which she only smiled at raising her wine goblet. She had a sense of humor. Though that didn't stop Hermione from fuming as she strode toward her rooms.

Debating quickly over which cloak to wear, Hermione clicked her tongue. Grabbing the white one, as it was her favorite, she drug her feet down to the Great Hall. She didn't want Draco to chaperone them. She wasn't even sure she wanted to go on this walk. She was sure that Helga would hear about it in the morning.

"Beautiful. You are quite fetching in white Hermione. Godric was there already waiting for her, a smile on his face. She hadn't expected him to be ready and waiting for her. He wore a deep red cloak trimmed in what Hermione suspected was golden lion fur. He look quite regal.

"Thank you Godric, you look quite dashing yourself." Hermione smiled back at him. It felt nice, being wanted.

"And here I am to put a fun dark cloud over the two of you, what a bunch we are." Draco added dryly from behind them. "Let's get a move on before it gets too late." He had already started walking not waiting for the two of them. Hermione huffed at Draco, but Godric took it in stride.

"He is quite right. We don't want to be out too late. Devious things lurk in the dark." The tone of Godric's voice was low, sultry. Hermione giggled taking his arm. Draco stopped, staring at the two of them in the glow of the flames from Hogwarts doors. He grumbled waiting and walking behind the two of them. He really didn't want to be following them, Hermione knew. That didn't stop her from taking in the landscape. It looked largely the same but Hermione had to admit Hagrid had done wonderful things to the shrubs.

"When did you first discover that you could do magic? I imagine having all the sisters that you did it wasn't a great surprise." Godric's question wasn't one Hermione expected.

"Me?" Oh, she didn't want to lie. Not about something that had been so important to her. "I was young about five. I didn't have a good grasp on it but." Hermione smiled at the memory. "I remember I got caught outside in a small summer shower. I danced and laughed. In the sun I made light bounce off all the water droplets." It was a fond memory of Hermione's. "The light made rainbows dance and even at that age, I knew the world was full of magic."

"That is a beautiful memory Hermione." One look at Godric's face and Hermione knew that he meant it. There was such tenderness there, Hermione had to look away. Clearing her throat, she decided to change the subject.

"You know, there is something that I've wanted to ask you for awhile now." How long exactly Godric didn't need to know. Since Griphook had said something three years ago really.

"Please, feel free to ask me anything Hermione." Godric had taken to stroking her hand lightly. It was distracting, his large warm thumb on her hand. She had almost forgotten what she wanted to ask him. Looking up at him, Hermione blinked in the moonlight he looked even more handsome. Maybe she had a thing for redheads.

"You had a question Hermione." Draco spoke up from behind them, a growl in his voice.

"Oh, yes." Hermione shook her head smiling lightly. "Sorry, I got a little lost." Godric smirked down at her, almost as if he knew exactly what she had gotten lost in. "Your sword. It's quite lovely. I've been wondering how you got it. I'm right in thinking that's it's Goblin made correct?" Of course it was, Hermione knew that. Though at the same time, she didn't want Godric thinking that she knew more than she needed to.

"I didn't take you for the type to notice weapons Hermione. I'm impressed." Godric let go of her hand, stepping back, and unsheathed the sword. Even in the moonlight, the dark rubies, glittered spectacularly. "This was made for me by Ragnuk, the Goblin King. It's enchanted Goblin silver, the only kind any respectful wizard has a weapon forged from, the rubies in the handle are there to encourage Vitality, Prosperity, Courage, Energy. In a lot of ways, the perfect dueling sword."

"I'm impressed." Hermione was quite impression. The fact that Godric had chosen rubies for something other than the fact that they're color. Red and gold a prevailing theme of Gryffindor as it was. Gold would be too flashy for a sword and not practical. "It's definitely a beautiful sword but to learn that it's also a thing of magical capability is quite impression."

"Thank you, I'm glad that you're impressed." Godric sheathed his sword, taking Hermione's hand once more. "I am not the only one who has a magnificent sword. I'm sure you noticed Helga's though I can understand if you didn't. It was the sword that our," Godric looked back at Draco for a moment. ", young friend here used to slay the Chimaera."

"Helga has a sword? No, I didn't notice." Hermione tried to remember the sword that Draco had wielded though she was drawing a blank. How come she had never heard of Helga having a sword? Surely Voldemort hadn't known, he would have coveted it as well she was sure.

"Yes, she does. It was a gift from a, what did she call them again." The three of them stopped walking as he stared up at the sky, trying to recall. "I can't remember at the moment she she called them unfortunately. I do know that it was during her travels as a younger witch, probably about your age. She went to all kinds of lands seeking different methods of magic. She helped defeat a beast plaguing a small place in Arabia. The King of the land had a sword commissioned for her because of it."

"Helga really is amazing isn't she?" Hermione admired the woman greatly since meeting her. She was kind, intelligent, a wonderful leader, and not without ambition.

"She is. It was her idea that we band together and start the school to begin with. She sought us all out you see. Her and Rowena had been friends for many years. Salazar and I had been friends for a few years before Helga found us. It was very clear that her idea would be the cornerstone for teaching the next generation magic." Yes Helga was definitely a wonderful witch.

"That really is amazing. What you are doing here." Hermione looked back at the castle, covered in moonlight looking glorious in it's own right. "I'm sure that it's going to do exactly what you're hoping it will. I bet children will be coming here for centuries to learn." She smiled up at Godric, he too had stopped to admire the castle before looking down at Hermione.

"I hope that you're right. I mean, with new teachers coming to help promote knowledge in young minds I'm sure that you will be right." The smile on Hermione's face only got wider. "My apologies dear Hermione but i do find that in that beautiful white coat beneath this moonlight, you are breathtaking." Goric lifted his hand up, stroking her cheek gently. Hermione found herself drowning in his eyes, they were the most vivid green, stunning, and looking at her with such desire. She could feel her cheeks growing hot beneath his touch.

"Don't apologize for paying a woman a compliment." Hermione felt breathless and it reflected in her voice. Godric had taken a small step closer to Hermione and for the moment, she forgot that Draco was there.

"I find that I would quite like to kiss you now Miss Selwyn. I admit that the desire to taste your lips upon mine has haunted me since the first moment I laid eyes on you." Such words! They were poetry. They made Hermione blush and feel very much like butter melting on toast.

"Please do." She whispered leaning into him. Godric needed no further coaxing. He hands went around her waist, pulling her to her tiptoes as he placed his lips upon hers. There was fire, definitely, Hermione could feel it in her toes even though they were barely grazing the ground. Melting into the kiss, Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck giving the softest of purrs into the kiss. Even as Godric deepened the kiss though, his tongue searching hungrily for an opening, Hermione felt fire but no sparks. In fact the longer they kissed the more she couldn't help thinking his beard a little scratchy.

"I do believe that's enough." Draco's voice tore the two of them apart. Hermione looked at him a little dazed. The scathing expression on his face didn't go past Godric. "I believe you're supposed to be courting this woman not ravaging her." Draco said looking at Godric.

"Yes, of course you are right." Godric let Hermione go, setting her back down on the ground. "My apologies. I shouldn't have been so forward." He was speaking to Hermione this time who smiled coyly, a look of shame in his eyes.

"I liked you being forward." Hermione all but giggled. The desire flared back up in his green depths immediately.

"We need to get back to the castle. We've been gone long enough." Draco stepped forward, taking Hermione's hand roughly and began pulling her toward the castle not too gently. "Say Goodnight Hermione. Godric knows better than to keep a young woman out too late." Godric didn't interfere, even as Hermione glared at Draco. He knew the rules of courting alright, knew he had broken one.

"Stop pulling me I'm coming." Hermione tore her hand from Draco's hotly. Running back to Godric, careful not to trip on her own dress he caught her as she all but tackled him. Planting a firm kiss on his lips, aware Draco was watching in anger. Hermione pulled away, slipping from his arms. "Goodnight Godric." Hermione whispered before leaving his arms, heading back up to the castle with Draco.

"Goodnight Hermione." He called to her, a fierce determination in his eyes. Hermione had woken the sleeping lion within.


End file.
